Postknight Chronicles

"Hey! Is anyone here in the hospital? It's an emergency! We need immediate help!" Solis wailed, panting heavily, his voice tinged with desperation.

Two nurses immediately rushed over, their expressions sharp with focus, and took Pearl to the operation table. Solis, denied permission to enter the operating room, decided to stay in the waiting area for the night. Guilt gnawed at him, a heavy weight pressing on his chest. As he sat alone, his mind drifted to a conversation he once had with his father.

"You know what, son? In my life, I've made many mistakes. But looking back now, it feels like those mistakes happened for the better."

"Why, Dad? Isn't making a mistake bad?" Solis had asked with the wide-eyed curiosity of a child.

"Well... how about I put it this way? If you never make mistakes, how will you know what's perfect? For every good thing, there has to be something bad so people can appreciate the good. If you were happy every moment of your life, you'd get bored. That happiness would lose its meaning. So, never be afraid of making mistakes. Do you understand, son?"

Back then, Solis hadn't thought much about it, but now his father's words rang with clarity.

"Huh... Those days were something else," Solis muttered to himself, a faint, bittersweet smile tugging at his lips. "It seems he wasn't scolding me after all. He just wanted me to stay calm and do better to fix my mistakes."

After what felt like hours, the doctor and nurses finally emerged from the operating room.

"Doctor! Is everything okay?" Solis asked anxiously, springing to his feet.

The doctor, a man with graying hair and a weathered but kind face, nodded reassuringly. "Yes, she's out of danger now. You don't need to worry. But I have to say, the roblins are growing more violent these days. You'll need to stay on guard, young man."

Solis nodded, relief flooding through him, though the doctor's words left a hint of unease. "Thank you, Doctor. I... I owe you for saving her."

The doctor chuckled lightly, the corners of his eyes crinkling. "No need for that. Just doing my job. Besides, you're a Postknight trainee, aren't you?"

Solis blinked in surprise. "How did you know?"

"You may not realize it, but Postknight trainees are regular visitors to this hospital. After 25 years in this job, I've memorized that distinctive uniform of yours—brownish-yellow shirt with brown pants. It's quite recognizable."

A faint blush of pride crept across Solis's cheeks. "Still, thank you for your help, sir."

The doctor smiled warmly, his tone turning fatherly. "It's nothing, boy. Your generation will take this society forward. As responsible citizens, it's our duty to support you Postknights. Rest here tonight, and you can head out tomorrow. You have more work to do, I'm sure."

Solis gave a grateful nod. "I will. Thank you again."

The next morning, Solis left the hospital, his mind already preoccupied with the road ahead. As he made his way back to Mailie through the forest, the doctor's words echoed in his thoughts.

"Lately, roblins are behaving strangely..." Solis murmured. "Doesn't the KPP investigate these things? They're the ones tasked with handling such issues. I should ask Instructor Tedric about it when I return."

His musings were interrupted by the sound of a commotion nearby. Curious, he crouched behind a thicket of bushes and peered through the foliage.

What he saw made his blood run cold. A girl was surrounded by a pack of dire wolves, their sharp eyes glinting with predatory intent. The girl stood frozen, terror etched on her face.

"Oh no... they've surrounded her like she's their prey," Solis thought, his heart pounding. "But wait... according to the Postknight guild handbook, dire wolves don't normally attack humans unless provoked or in self-defense. Are these creatures also acting insane, like the roblins? What's going on here?"

His fists clenched, frustration mounting. "I have to do something, but what? I don't even have my sword! Think, Solis, think... there has to be a way!"

Just as he was racking his brain for a solution, one of the wolves lunged at the girl. She screamed, her voice piercing the forest like a dagger.

"I can't wait any longer!" Solis thought, adrenaline surging through him as he prepared to act.