The Platinum Knights' headquarters was located near the imperial capital, in one of the city's most bustling districts.
With the enthusiastic guidance of an outer member, Rosen finally exited the vast compound.
Outside, the streets were lively and vibrant, brimming with the charm of a fantasy world. The architecture followed a classic medieval Western European style, but unlike the damp, gloomy depictions often seen in films, these streets were bright, clean, and full of energy.
The wide road bustled with carriages, yet never felt crowded—after all, this was one of the capital's most prosperous districts, and the emperor's thoroughfare was naturally well-maintained. Among the crowds, Rosen spotted various exotic races: beastmen, elves, dwarves…
As he turned a corner, a pair of sweet-looking catgirls were enthusiastically beckoning customers.
"Hey there, handsome~ Come take a look, nya~" They closed in on him, one on each side, their soft bodies pressing against his arms, their curves brushing against him ever so slightly.
"Well… I guess I'll take a look." Rosen, slightly flustered but unable to resist their enthusiasm, let himself be pulled into a dimly lit shop bathed in a faint pink glow.
Not long after, he stumbled back out in a hurry.
"That kind of place… I'm only fifteen—way too early for this." He memorized the symbols on the door, vowing to steer clear in the future. The last thing he wanted was to lose his innocence in a place like that.
Continuing his stroll, Rosen passed many shops that reminded him of Earth.
Eventually, his gaze landed on a bustling amusement park.
"So they have these here too?" he muttered in surprise. Back on Earth, he had always been either studying or on his way to cram school. If his grades slipped, he'd get scolded—asking his parents to take him to an amusement park had been out of the question.
"One silver coin for entry," the ticket seller said cheerfully.
At the exchange rate of one gold coin to a hundred silver, that was equivalent to a hundred bucks—enough for one free round on all attractions, with additional fees for repeats.
Inside, Rosen tried everything: roller coasters, a Ferris wheel, archery, a haunted house, boat rides, and even a bungee catapult. The selection seemed limited compared to Earth's—no bumper cars or shooting galleries, for instance.
What's more, some of the rides turned out to be manually operated, something Rosen only realized after closer inspection.
After his adventures in the Forest of Ten Thousand Seas, the park's thrills felt underwhelming.
"That's it?" Standing atop a hundred-meter platform, Rosen peered down, unimpressed.
He was about to try bungee jumping, his body securely strapped in, ready to experience the freefall.
After a long pause, he still couldn't see the appeal.
"If you're too scared to jump, get down already! There's a line!" A young man, arm around his pretty companion, barked at him, eager to assert dominance in front of his date. After all, putting down other men in front of women was a classic way to look tough.
"He's… wearing a Platinum Knights uniform…" the woman noted, sharp-eyed.
Since Rosen had been shirtless earlier, Allen had lent him a few well-fitted military outfits—no harm in representing early, since he'd be joining the order soon anyway.
"Pfft. The Platinum Knights? Weakest of the Ten Great Orders. Rumor has it the emperor's about to strip them of their royal status. And this guy's just a probationary outer knight."
The man had initially been startled by the uniform, but upon spotting Rosen's lieutenant insignia, he scoffed. This was the imperial capital—even a colonel wouldn't dare cause trouble here.
Rosen ignored the couple and silently unbuckled his safety harness.
The two staff members assumed he was backing out and helped remove the rest of his restraints without question—no need to embarrass a guest, especially one with rank.
"See, babe? Even their knights are cowards. No wonder the order's dying," the man sneered, emboldened.
"So disappointing… I used to idolize the Platinum Knights as a kid. Especially their legendary leader, the White Rose—Commander Thorn was my hero," the woman sighed.
"Yeah, ever since Thorn left, they've been a joke," the man piled on, even adopting a mock-disappointed tone as he shouted at Rosen: "Can't even handle a bungee jump? No wonder the order's rotting from the inside!"
Rosen shot him a cold glance that instantly shut him up.
Seeing the man's cowardice, Rosen grinned.
The moment the last strap came loose, he leapt backward off the platform, flipping midair to flash a middle finger before plummeting straight down.
The staff froze.
What just happened? We thought he was quitting—why'd he jump?! Even a royal knight wouldn't survive a hundred-meter freefall! Unless… he's one of the order leaders? But the staffer was certain—this face didn't match any of the big names. Even full-fledged knights were rare enough that he recognized them all.
"We're so fired…" the two muttered in unison, already regretting not double-checking.
Then gasps erupted from the crowd.
"Look! He's—he's fine!" The sharp-eyed woman pointed downward, where Rosen had landed gracefully and was now strolling away casually.
The staff rushed to the railing. The ground was untouched, and the boy's uniform wasn't even dusty.
"Is he… a newly appointed knight?" the woman wondered aloud.
"Who knows? The city… never announced anything," the man mumbled, dazed.
Meanwhile, on the beach at the park's seaside edge, a man in a short-sleeved shirt and shorts, orange shades perched on his nose, lounged on a deck chair. Sipping a cocktail, he chuckled as he watched the bungee tower.
"Interesting. At least fifth-tier… Is this Allen's trump card?"
He swirled his drink lazily.
"Frollo. Go test his mettle."
Nearby, a man building sandcastles with a little girl looked up, sighed, and ruffled her hair before vanishing in a blur.
"Uncle Jack, where'd Brother Frollo go?" The girl tugged at the lounging man's sleeve, pouting.