Entry 11:

Hey Journal. It's been about 2 days since my last entry and I got some stuff to talk about. I've been running into other people that got robbed, swindled or just plain screwed over by that bastard Arlin. Some of them were other people travelling to the capital, but most of them were just residents of small villages. Apparently, he's been posing as a magic knight, then extorting citizens for whatever little money they had. He somehow got a hold of magic knight robes of almost all the squads, even the top ones. I don't know how he got those robes. The 2 most likely possibilities that I have thought of are that he got the robes through some kind of black market or that he got them off dead magic knights. I really hope that it's the first one. The second one worries me. If it is the second possibility, I wonder if he killed them hisself or paid some bandits or whatever to kill for him. He's also been going by different names, so his real name probably isn't Arlin. He's just a coward who lies to people to steal from them. My hatred for him just keeps on growing. He's what my master would call "the scum that grows only on the bottoms of rock in the darkest, dankest dungeons" and I would agree with him. I've been assuring the people that I will make sure that bastard pay for what he's done. He will regret not killing me after robbing me. I will make his life a living hell. Oh yeah, my skin's gotten a bit tanner and I've lost some weight since I've started this trip. My hair's also gotten longer, but it's also gotten a little lighter. I liked my dark hair. I can't wait to make Arlin pay. Over halfway to the capital. Making better time than I thought I would thanks partially to good weather. Well, I should get to sleep.

Goodnight Journal.

"...od job putting him down like that. Your magic never fails us."

"Yeah, my Hypnosis Magic really is something, isn't it?"

"How long do you think he'll be out?"

"Long enough for us to get away."

"Why didn't we just kill him, guys?"

"We're not bandits or murderers. We're thieves. We steal, not kill."

"Why didn't we take his supplies, then?"

"He needs them. He seems serious on becoming a magic knight. He looks like he'll be one of the good ones. He'll protect people."

"But won't he come after us once he's a knight?"

"Maybe he will, maybe he won't, but that's for later, not now. Now hurry up, we need to back to the hideout."

Soulbound journal exceeding 50 meters from Jona. Activating soulbind. Long distance thought recording active. Jona not conscious. Nothing to record. Writing message.

" I create this journal so you may have a companion, Jona. Even though we will never truly meet, I'll always be by your side in a different way. I'm sorry that I wasn't there for you, but I chose to sacrifice myself to save you. This journal contains most of my soul. This way, it can record your thoughts at long distance. Please, keep it with you, always. At least I'm with you this way.Hello and goodbye Jona, love your father."

What was that? Did I just get knocked out by someone's magic? What the..? Hey. Hey! Where's my Journal?! They took it. I need to get it back. I need to get my friend back! I don't know how, but I can feel my Journal. I know where they are. I'll get you back Journal, one way or another.

"What the hell's happening?"

"That guy we stole that magic journal from is here to get his stuff back! Do we fight him?"

"No, let him pass."

"What?!"

"If he's followed us all the way here, we must have taken something important to him. If it's so important he'd go this far off course, we shouldn't have taken it. We stole a personal treasure, possibly."

"But isn't that what we do? We steal things to sell! What kind of bandits are you?!"

"WE ARE NOT BANDITS! We don't kill! You're new, so you don't know why we steal."

"It's because you want money right?! So you can live in luxury."

"No. We steal to help those whose villages have suffered from bandit attacks and border villages that become occupied. Those citizens have nowhere to go and often have little to no money. We steal to make their lives a little easier."

"So we're some kind of 'Noble thieves' or something? That's just some dumb delusion."

"To you, yes. But to us, it's reality. Ah, he's here."

"I heard what you said. Is it true that people are being pushed out of their homes by bandits?"

"Yes. Not just bandits either. For a few years, on the border of the Clover and Diamond Kingdoms, there have been fights, skirmishes and encounters that barely count as battles. Due to these, people have been pushed from their homes by some less than savory magic knights, and mages from the Diamond Kingdom. We steal to help these refugees."

"But why did you steal from me?"

"Because I knew that you could still easily go on, even without the things we stole from you. But it seems we stole something precious to you. I'm sorry for that. You may have all your belongings back."

"All I want is my Journal back. I heard what you told that guy. You want to help refugees and that's actually a noble goal. When I become a magic knight, I'll do my best to help refugees like them. Goodbye. One last question, though. Why didn't you let them attack me?"

"Isn't it obvious? We are not fighters. We are just thieves who help refugees."

"You are good people, aren't you. Some villagers had all their money taken from them by some guy that's going to take the magic knight exam. Please help them. I'm going to make sure that bastard can't do this again."

"We will do our best to help them. Good luck in your mission to lock that man up. Goodbye."

"Same to you."

Entry 12:

Hey Journal. Last night I had an encounter with a group of thieves. They were actually pretty good people, too. Well, all of them except one. Turns out they were testing him to see if he would abide by their rules. While I was leaving, I ran into that girl who had the hypnosis magic. I asked her if that one guy would make it into their group. She said he probably won't be allowed in their group. Apparently he failed their test. I thought that he would be a problem for them since he knew where their hideout was and how they worked. The hypnosis magic girl assured me that she would be able to make him forget everything about their group. Out of curiosity, I asked if their group had an actual name and she told me that they were called the "Robins." She said that they named themselves after some kind of famous thief who would steal from the nobles to help the poor citizens. I wonder if he's a remnant back home? Eh, I'll look around back home after a become a magic knight. I didn't really get much sleep last night, so this is going to have to be a short entry. I'm going to have to go to sleep early today.

Goodnight Journal.

Entry 13:

Hey Journal. So, uh, yeah. I don't have anything to say except apparently I'm in an area that's in the territory of a dangerous group of bandits called "The vipers." Apparently they call this territory "The viper's nest" because of the high number of attacks. The vipers are actual bandits, as in they will kill people if they get the chance. They won't kill me. Nope, nuh-uh. If they go after me, they won't get me. Nope. Never. That's all. Sorry for the short entry.

Goodnight Journal.

"Huh? What the was that?"

"Ah damn, you woke up. Now we'll have to kill you the hard way."

"Wh-who are you people?"

"Isn't it obvious, moron? Remember where you are."

"You're the vipers?"

"Well, duh! This is the Vipers Nest dumbass."

"So, you're going to try to kill me?"

"No, we are going to kill you."

"Well, you can try, but you probably can't."

"You're cocky. This'll be fun. VENOM MAGIC: VIPERS FANGS!"

"Earth magic: Gaia's protecting embrace."

"Acid magic: Corrosive column!"

"Whoa! That almost got me!"

"Damn! You're actually pretty good! This is starting to get more annoying than fun!"

"Leave now and I won't hurt you."

"Leave? HA! You obviously know nothing of the Vipers! We don't stop until our prey is dead!"

"Well sorry to disappoint, but I'm not dying yet, especially not here!"

"You say that, but we hear the fear in your voice!"

"Damn it. I didn't want to use this spell. It's too dangerous. Gaia's roaring rage!"

"Gah! What the hell is happening?! An earthquake? How the hell?"

"It must be his magic! He possesses earth magic!"

"Shit! Get his things while he's distracted and run!"

"We're not killing him?"

"Just. Fucking! RUN!"

"Got his things! Let's go!"

"We'll remember this and get him some other time. For now, we need a tactical retreat."

Finally, they're gone. But they're gonna be a problem for other travelers. Wait… what the hell? No. No no no no. They took everything. All my supplies and Journal. Damn it! I have to get it all back! I didn't notice until now, but I feel Journal moving away, fast. I can catch up though. I'll get you back Journal. I'll save you from those murderous bastards.

"Shit. That's the first time we've ever ran. The boss ain't gonna like this."

"I know."

"Just tell him the truth and hope for the best."

"B-b-boss, we're back, but, uh, there were… complications."

"What kind of complications?"

"We, uh, had to… perform a tactical retreat."

"You mean you ran away. Like cowards."

"But boss, if you had seen his magic you'd understand!"

"All I understand is that you're cowards. I have no use for cowards."

"Boss, please no! We-we'll do better! This won't happen again!"

"Of course it won't. Viper magic: gluttonous mass."

"Ah.. ah… AHHHHHHH! PLEASE, HELP US! HELP US! AHHHHHH!"

"I trust no one else will run from a target from now on?"

"Yes boss! Understood boss!"

"Boss!"

"What?"

"We have an intruder. It's the target from earlier."

"Kill him."

Got it."

This is their hideout? It's nothing but a shithole. Make them pay. Make them suffer. They must suffer. Taste their pain. Taste the succulent pain. Hear the song of pained screams. Remember the feeling of dominating the weak. Remember the animals of before. They were weak. They were fun to play with. Until they broke. These new toys are stronger, but still break.

"Useless. All of them. I hear their screams. Their pleas for forgiveness. Fallen upon deaf ears are their pleas. Their screams feeding a demon posing as a human. The demon unknowing of his own existence. Possessing a cursed grimoire. He comes to me, finished with weak pawns unfit for promotion. The demon comes for the king."

All of them broke. Weak. Fragile. The boss better be strong. I still want to enjoy this. Their pain satisfies me. Pleases me. Beautiful screams of pain, now silent. Warm flowing blood, now still and cold.

"Heeeh, heh heh hahahahaha."

" You have wings like an angel, but your wings are black and rotted. You've killed my men and now come for me you demon."

"They were fun to play with, but broke too early. I hope you are a stronger toy than they were."

"I will not fall as easy as them. They were nothing compared to me. Now, get ready to die."

"You will be fun to play with. Now let me hear you're beautiful screams of pain and suffering."

"No. Neither of you shall fight."

"What is that voice?"

"That's the voice from the grimoire."

"You will fall if you fight him. And you are not yet worthy of my wings. You must first wield my scythe. Then you must don my robe. Only after these conditions are met, can you possess my wings."

"What do you mean? Tell me what yo-uhg."

"He passed out."

"Yes. I have put him into unconsciousness. I will make sure he does not remember what his personality was like tonight. He is not ready to learn the truth. Now leave or die. That is your choice."

"I will leave. I will not try to kill him again. If he comes after me, I will submit. In that one moment before you stopped him, I felt an overwhelming sense of dread. It was his mana. A shroud of impending death. He is strong, but without guidance, he will kill countless people."

"He has guidance. For now, his master's words guide him, but soon a magic knight captain will guide him. He will not be a cold, ruthless killer. I can feel that in his soul."

"Farewell."

"And to you as well."

"He's done it again hasn't he?"

"Ah, master of Jona. Yes, he has acted upon his innermost desires."

"I prayed this would never happen again, but I guess that I was being foolish."

"No, faith in you has allowed him to deny himself his desires."

"But his desires aren't normal. Normal kids want sweets, good food, and a place to sleep. Jona's innermost desires are to torture anything weaker than hisself. I still remember what he did to those animals he caught. Even as I am now, those memories haunt my mind."

"That is why he must become a magic knight. So he can have friends to assist him with his problems. He CAN help people, he just needs guidance."

"I don't know. Sometimes I just think that maybe the final Farandal bloodline should have ended with me."

"But it did not."

"And now we must accept any consequences of my decision."