Ataraxia Abyss
Chapter 1: The boy in the snow village

A world where a child can be born without smelling the scent of war has never existed in a world with swords and magic...

War only because of differences of opinion, greed, and also hatred is commonplace in this dirty world.

In the cold winter, an 8-year-old boy came home with the firewood he got from the forest. With a thin sheet of cloth he made into clothes and pants he was looking for firewood.

And when he entered the house, the boy saw his family, the father who was sitting with his wife and daughter's son. The warm smile faded after seeing the dirty child after searching for wood in the forest.

"So you're back Regal? Quickly burn those woods!"

The filthy child was Regal, the adopted son who was treated inferior to a dog in the house of the village chief who adopted him.

Regal then threw the firewood into the furnace with shivering hands. Although there was enough wood to light the furnace all day, they deliberately ordered Regal to leave the house.

However Regal had no other choice, when he was a child, Regal was abandoned by his family and abandoned in front of the temple in the village. The previous village chief picked him up after he was 5 years old.

But after a year together with him, the head of the village who used to die for unknown reasons, making Regal considered a curse carrier in the village.

The village head who now had no choice but to pick up the child to raise his degree in the eyes of the people, but behind all that the behavior of his fake family made his life like hell.

When the mother, Martha, saw Regal slow with trembling hands burning wood, she took a hot pot and said.

"Hey boy! You're cold, aren't you?"

Regal did not dare to speak and simply nodded his head. Martha then ordered Regal with an annoyed face mixed with disdain.

"Hand..!"

Regal then raised both hands before Martha. Without regret and with a happy face, Martha doused the boy's hand with a teapot that still let out the hot steam.

Can't stand back, can't scream, and can't fight back. Regal's pain became a source of entertainment for the family who raised him, they did not try to stop, they even laughed at the face made by Regal.

After her hand had gotten quite red and blistered, Martha finally stopped and said.

"Go to your room! I won't let you warm yourself up with us!"

Regal then nodded and finally went into a room, Regal was in a dark room that was no wider than the bathroom of the house.

He lay on the cold, moist floor without complaining, his complaining was the thing that made them more happy to torture him.

He was hungry and cold, finally Regal fell asleep to get through the heinous day in order to get the ration of food once a day given by his adoptive family.

———

In the morning everyone gathered outside the house, people saw many infantry and cavalry who stopped at the village square, the curious Regal finally came to the square.

They were knights of the kingdom of Wimbledon, the kingdom that ruled this village.

And out of the many knights there was, one knight came forward and took off his helmet and said to everyone.

"Consider of the village Claurode! I am the Captain of the Knights of this kingdom, Klaus Auberge. By order of His Majesty...

We will seek talent from every village and city under Wimbledon. This was all in anticipation of the Demon King's invasion in the foreseeable future.

Therefore, for anyone who feels himself or his child worthy, we invite them to show their strength."

After the announcement, everyone started to fuss about this. It was unexpected that the Knights of Wimbledon would come to this small village.

While everyone was still in a fuss, one person raised his hand and advanced forward.

"I want to try!"

The first one to advance was not an adult, but a 12-year-old boy. Regal realizes who the child is, Hamel the oldest brother in his adoptive family.

"Alright, Oliver's onward!"

The one who advanced was a knight who had a body not too big but full of sturdy muscles.

Hamel was given a wooden sword, and so was Oliver who came with his wooden sword.

As the two of them started to mount the horses, Hamel attacked first very aggressively, his attack was irregular but the power behind the attack was incredible.

On the other hand, Oliver does not strike back and only defends to test his strength and talent.

Until finally Hamel was too advanced and made Oliver able to fly Hamel's sword from his hand.

"That was good, but you were too aggressive and made a pointless move."

Oliver criticised Hamel, saying Hamel felt unacceptable but that meant he had the potential to be accepted.

On the other hand, Klaus saw Regal... The boy with an emotionless face who had a thin body with dirty snow-white hair.

"You! What's yourname?"

Klaus asked Regal. Regal finally replied in a soft voice "My name is Regal.."

Hearing that answer, Klaus gave the wooden sword that Hamel had used to Regal.

"You're next."

Everyone was clearly confused, if Hamel was reasonable. He was a young boy with a body filled with energy, but this time Klaus gave the sword to Regal making everyone confused.

"Captain? Are you serious about this?"

Oliver asked worriedly about hurting the little boy, but Klaus with a smile said.

"It's okay. I believe in this boy."

At that time Oliver put up fighting horses, while Regal put up horses similar to Oliver.

Everyone started to worry that he was just imitating what he saw without knowing anything.

But when Regal stepped on his first leg, he immediately jumped...

Oliver doesn't see anything like that with the people there, they all just see Oliver flying in the air and Regal who has landed behind Oliver.

When Oliver hit the ground, everyone saw that Oliver's legs, wrists, neck, and ribs were swollen.

Everyone was shocked by the results of this test. But there was only one person who smiled like he already knew the results of this test from the beginning, he was Klaus.

"Great! Young man are you interested in becoming a knight?"

Klaus asked, Regal wanted to speak up but was quickly pulled by someone.

That person was the Head of the village as well as Regal's adoptive father, Aidan.

"I'm sorry for my son's behavior, Mr. Klaus, how about we go to my house first?"

Aiden held Regal's hand very hard, Regal was currently speechless because he knew if he spoke then his right hand would be crushed by Aiden.

With a disgusting smile Aiden asked Klaus again.

"How's...?"

*****