Note: The Novel Will Be Corrected Until Chapter 105, After That Chapter It Will Be All MTL
C85 - 86 - 87
Chapter 85
“The Young Master has passed through the Macline Castle!”
“Really? He should arrive soon then.”
Padric beamed a smile upon hearing the report.
Everything in the territory had been going smoothly lately.
How could he not be delighted by the news that his son, who had accomplished all this, was returning home?
The only concern was the movements of Vipros, the formidable rival to their family, but so far, there had been no significant changes.
‘Well, all thanks to my son’s mentor.’
His son had gone to the capital saying he would prepare a countermeasure.
Padric couldn’t help but look forward to what kind of answer his son had brought back.
“It seems he will be delayed more than expected.”
“Hmm?”
“He’s coming by carriage.”
“By carriage, not on horseback? Why? He shouldn’t have any luggage.”
“Well, about that I’m not quite sure…”
The messenger, who had ridden furiously from Macline Castle, was drenched in cold sweat.
But there was no need to confront the weary soldier over a non-emergency, so Padric nodded understandingly and dismissed him.
However, thoughts of his son kept flooding his mind, making it impossible to concentrate on work.
‘Since when have I been such a warm-hearted father?’
A self-deprecating chuckle escaped him, but it wasn’t a bad feeling.
‘A carriage… Perhaps he’s bringing a guest?’
In that case, Padric couldn’t just sit and wait.
He quickly covered his paperwork and left the office.
Outside, an unusual scene was already unfolding.
“Young Master will be returning soon.”
“He’s bringing a guest, they say.”
“Let’s go see!”
Rumors had already spread, and his guess seemed accurate as the household staff moved busily about.
Even without special instruction from himself, the lord’s manor was bustling.
It was an odd situation, but Padric was pleased with the commotion.
‘I could retire now and there would be no problem.’
Filled with a sense of unwarranted pride, Padric quickened his pace.
* * *
“Hail! The castle!”
“Good work.”
After a brief greeting with the guards at the entrance to the town, Logan closed the carriage door as exclamations of admiration reached his ears.
“Wow, it’s much cleaner than I thought?”
“It’s a newly-built area.”
Although Logan replied modestly, the corners of his mouth slightly rose.
“Can you believe that all this was achieved because of our Young Master’s plans? Isn’t it impressive, my lady?”
“You made the right choice, Young Master. Our miss certainly picked the right partner!”
Two attendants bantered back and forth, matching well with each other.
It could have been seen as impolite to intrude upon their masters’ conversation like this, but Logan and Eileen did not mind it.
Thanks to the persistent efforts of the two attendants during the return journey, they were at least able to engage in such conversation.
Not long after Logan laughed quietly at this,
“Young Master, young lady. We have arrived at the lord’s manor.”
Henry, the coachman, announced their arrival, and the carriage door opened.
“Hmm?”
Upon stepping out of the carriage, Logan saw a crowd that included his father and his retainers.
At first, he tensed, wondering if something had happened, but seeing everyone smiling, his worries naturally vanished.
‘Right, not yet. There’s still time.’
Logan reassured himself and smiled back at the many eyes focused on him.
“I have returned.”
As was natural, greetings in return were expected, but despite the crowd, not a word of welcome was heard.
Confused, Logan noticed that people’s gaze was directed behind him.
Thump.
“So this is Macline.”
A light exclamation followed another step out of the carriage.
Without elaborate insignia, the person donned ‘armor’ and took light steps forward.
With hair a brighter, lustrous red than Macline’s and with distinct features and beautiful blue eyes, there was no denying this person was a ‘woman’.
– The Young Master has brought back a woman.
The pupils of all the onlookers widened.
“Wow, she’s beautiful.”
“Who could she be?”
“It’s obvious.”
Murmurs and whispers.
After a brief silence, the crowd began stirring once more.
Front and center, Padric opened his mouth, eyes slightly wider.
“Right. Welcome back, Logan. But who might this young lady be?”
Logan’s father was already smiling cheerfully.
‘He had no interest in women, or so I thought.’
Hadn’t he arrogantly relied on the fact he was his son’s mentor and even gone as far as to ask the Swordmaster for a favor?
But now, it seemed to have been unnecessary worry.
‘He’s managing well enough on his own.’
Even though the armor was a bit conspicuous, it was understandable if a woman had to arm herself for a long journey.
Padric looked at the woman who had already become his son’s lover in his mind, with an expectant heart.
And then, the returned answer indeed met his expectations splendidly.
“This is my fiancée, Lady Eileen Floyd.”
“Oh!!”
“The Young Master’s fiancée?!”
“Amazing!”
Murmurs and murmurs.
The commotion around them grew, and Padric grinned, looking broadly at his son’s fiancée.
“Oh! Come forth, young lady. I am your…”
“And she is also a new recruit to the Macline Knights, Father.”
“Knight-Commander Padric Mc… What?”
“Lady Eileen Floyd. My fiancée and the new recruit for the Knights.”
“Um. Heh. My hearing isn’t what it once was… Could you repeat that, son?”
“I said, a new recruit for the Knights. Also, my fiancée.”
“A fiancée and also a knight? Ha. My ears…”
The formidable presence that emanated from Eileen’s entire being confused Padric further, yet he maintained a firm stance.
“On all accounts, that’s preposterous! How can you make a lady of a noble family a knight?! And your fiancée at that!”
“I see no reason why it shouldn’t be possible.”
“You must have lost your mind, truly. Oh, how am I to deal with this…”
As Padric struggled to laugh it off, Dwayne cautiously interrupted.
“Maybe the Young Master has something in mind?”
“Do you understand what’s happening, Dwayne? Am I the only one confused here?”
“…Well, it is what the Young Master has decided.”
“Haa… I’m frustrated. Logan! Come, let’s have a word in private. You need to realize just how senseless your words are…”
Padric tried to remain calm and continue the conversation, but Logan cut him off decisively.
“Oh, we should notify the Floyd Count that we’ve arrived safely. Father, why don’t you join us? Proper greetings are in order.”
“What, what?”
Padric, still half out of his wits, was unwittingly dragged into the communications room.
* * * [Ah, you’ve arrived safely. How’s your health?]
“It’s only been a week, Father.”
[I feel as if that week has been a month long…]
“Baron Macline can also hear you!”
[Ahem. Ah. Baron… Macline? A pleasure to meet you. I’m Roberts Floyd.]
“Count. Pleased to meet you. Padric Macline here. I am honestly a bit bewildered to contact you so abruptly, so please excuse my expression and demeanor.”
[Heh, the sentiment is mutual. It’s a matter between our families, but the children are so insistent, so I couldn’t reach out first. I apologize for urging you to call me.]
“Ha. No, not at all. Isn’t it a good connection between them? If there’s no specific opposition, it’s nice to respect the children’s wishes. But I’ve heard a strange story… Your daughter intends to be a knight…”
[Ha…]
Padric had broached the topic delicately, but a pronounced sigh came through immediately from the other side of the communication device, startling Logan and Eileen behind him.
[…I ask for your favor, heh, in that matter, son-in-law.]
“Father. Surely you aren’t cryin-…”
“Son-in-law. Are you saying these kids are insisting against your wishes?!”
Padric cut off Eileen to enunciate his joy.
[I’ve agreed to it. My daughter is quite insistent. But she’s a well-bred young lady, please…]
“Ha, no need, son-in-law. If you are not keen on the idea, there is no need to break tradition. I will appropriately handle it…”
“Father!!”
Eileen’s shout interrupted, catching Padric off guard as he turned to look at the prospective daughter-in-law.
[…It is what I have wished, ahem. I entrust it to you, son-in-law.]
The Count shifted his tone, clearly against his will.
“Huh?”
Padric looked incredulously between his son and his fiancée.
Unlike the seemingly conscience-stricken prospective daughter-in-law, who tried to squeeze out an awkward smile, his son wore a brazen grin.
“As you’ve heard, the Count has given his permission, Father.”
“First… Let’s talk about that later.”
Upon changing the topic, the conversation hastened.
And after merely 30 minutes,
[Thank you. We will find a suitable day soon and contact you. I look forward to meeting you in person.]
“I share the same feeling.”
After a formal goodbye, the communication ended.
Crackle.
Despite the seemingly warm end to the communication, an awkward silence enveloped the room for a while.
“Regardless of the Count’s permission, I’m still opposed to his daughter becoming a knight.”
Padric’s parting words left Logan and Eileen sighing, yet they firmly nodded and left the room together.
* * *
“At least we’ve overcome one hurdle.”
“You must be tired from the long journey. I appreciate your hard work.”
“Not at all. You’ve worked hard too, Young Master.”
“It’s uncertain when the day will come, but it seems we can proceed according to plan now.”
Even while saying this, Logan did not truly believe that things would go so smoothly without incident.
The internal strife to come, and the things he intended before and after that.
The resulting storm would leave no room for comfortably planning a wedding.
Fortunately, Eileen, unaware of this truth, did not seem particularly bothered about this aspect.
“Yes. I won’t disappoint you. Joining the Knights…finally…”
Her interest clearly lay somewhere entirely different than the engagement.
An uncontrollable smile came over Logan as he instinctively found her interest more attractive, and he shook his head in surprise.
‘Focus. Is this really the time for that?’
Slap!
“…Young Master?”
Eileen looked at Logan, slapping his own cheek in surprise.
Laughing awkwardly, Logan hastily changed the subject.
“Ha. So, when do you plan to start training? Maybe you should rest for a few days first…”
“Don’t bother testing me. Let’s start tomorrow.”
Eileen confidently decided without a second thought, and Logan couldn’t help but smile wryly at her stubbornness.
Overflowing talent and a clear resolve were there.
However, Logan knew it was not something that could be easily overcome.
‘Will that be enough for her to overcome everything?’
Eileen’s challenge was, in a way, Logan’s challenge as well.
And at that moment, he did not have the luxury of time.
‘At most two months. I have to finish preparing and start the war within that time.’
Even if Eileen couldn’t adapt by then, he couldn’t wait.
“So, do I stay at the knight’s quarters now?”
“…That might be a bit difficult. It could make the other knights uncomfortable.”
“That’s a bit disappointing.”
“Instead, I’ll provide you with a room closer to the training grounds.”
…Given how proactive she was, adapting didn’t seem likely to be an issue.
If everything went according to plan, great; if not, another way would be found to cultivate the ‘Iron Rose’.
Logan solidified his thoughts and led Eileen to the room he had prepared in advance.
* * *
As many had witnessed, rumors about Eileen spread quickly.
However…
“The Young Master has started another peculiar venture?”
“What? What kind of venture?”
“He’s turned a lady into a knight…”
---------------------
Chapter 86: Before Dawn
Just before the break of dawn, the darkest and coldest time of the early morning, Eileen suddenly opened her eyes. Ever since awakening her Force, waking up at the exact time she desired had become an incredibly simple task. Moreover, today marked a new beginning in her life, and the thought of indulging in laziness didn’t cross her mind at all.
“I’ll see you at the training ground at dawn tomorrow,” recalled Logan’s words as she reaffirmed her will, prompting her body to respond immediately. She rose from her bed to check her condition and soon changed into a simple martial outfit.
Her gaze then briefly lingered on the plain armor set aside in the corner of the room. “Guess this is the only armor that fits a lady’s physique for now. I shall continue to train with this one for the time being.” It was a suit of armor notably smaller compared to those worn by the larger-built knights. While it was equipment Logan had bought for her during a brief stopover in a city en route to the MacLaine estate, it couldn’t exactly be praised for its quality. The only redeeming feature was the modification that allowed her to don the heavy armor by herself.
However, the thought of beginning her new life with this very equipment strangely endeared it to her. “I’m counting on you,” Eileen bid the armor a greeting as one would to a friend and skillfully equipped it.
In a mere 30 minutes, from arising to grabbing her sword and leaving the room, Eileen was ready. The anticipation of her new life seemed to lighten her step.
‘What path will Lord Logan show me?’ She pondered her future training, the kind of knight she would become, and Logan’s swordsmanship that overwhelmed her with the simplest of movements. Could she learn it too? Her heart fluttered with excitement, sweeping away even the fatigue from her travels.
Upon arriving at the training ground, she was met with loud murmurs:
“A woman?”
“So the rumors were true?”
“Huh, what is his lordship thinking this time…”
In front of the disrupted knights, Eileen faced the challenge she had expected.
“Good heavens, it is indeed true,” sighed Padric, burying his head in his hands while Eileen faced a predictable barrier.
“Father, I have no intention of making light of this matter,” she stated resolutely.
“Yes, I was hoping it was a joke,” muttered Padric, wishing his son’s statement was not serious.
“Absolutely not,” Logan countered firmly, making Padric sigh and look back at his eldest son.
“Logan, she’s a woman. There’s never been a female knight in the history of our kingdom!”
“Father, she is not just any woman; she is one who has awakened her Force. We are in a situation where we must recruit any talented individuals we can. Aren’t over half the knights standing here originally from other families? What’s the issue if she’s a woman?”
“You insane fool, she’s even your betrothed! Are you really planning to train your fiancée to become a knight?!”
“Yes.”
“Ugh…”
Seeing the firm determination in his son’s eyes, Padric eventually raised other concerns.
“The current training of the MacLaine knights is far harsher than any other order. No matter how talented she may be, it is too much to bear for a woman, especially an aristocrat…”
“Ha…”
Padric would probably change his mind if he ever faced off against an imperial female knight.
Recalling a past life memory, Logan sighed, only to be interrupted by a sudden exclamation.
“I can do it too!”
A high-pitched yet strong-willed voice rang out, drawing the attention of everyone gathered at the training ground.
“Please erase any doubts that women can’t do it. I’ll show you!”
Eileen’s emerald eyes burnt fiercely with determination. Logan believed that everyone present could feel the intensity of her spirit. And with that confidence, he could make another promise:
“Should the lady fail in her training, I too shall no longer stand by my claims.”
Padric, with a grave face, was unable to make a quick decision. After a long moment, the stubborn knight reluctantly nodded.
“Very well, I will ‘temporarily’ allow the lady to join.”
Eileen gritted her teeth and reinforced her resolve once more at the word ‘temporarily’. But a half day later, she found herself trembling on the ground, the pride that she had brought to training now reduced to shivering.
‘These bastards must be crazy.’
The training had started with a 30km run around the outskirts of MacLaine Town, bearable at first. But when told to carry rocks while climbing cliffs, it all seemed like madness.
‘What kind of knightly order does such training?’
The MacLaine knight order’s training was leagues beyond what she could have imagined. As much as she had idolized knights and knew about their training, MacLaine’s regime was beyond her imagination. Only by scraping the bottom of her Force was she barely able to avoid falling behind.
If these people aren’t insane…
‘Maybe I’ve been looking at the world too lightly.’
Feeling disheartened, she forced herself to look around. The other knights were sprawled around her, clearly fatigued yet none as utterly drained as she was. And annoyingly, some of them were even weaker in Force than her.
This fact touched upon an old trauma.
‘Because they are men…’
And because I’m a woman, am I weaker?
‘No! It’s just that I’m lacking in training!’
It’s not because she’s a woman. She would prove that to herself.
Suppressing her bleak thoughts, her will fueled her to rise. Her body, which seemed to have reached its limits, moved once more, albeit forcefully.
“Ugh…”
Trembling hands slowly regained their hold, and she began to loosen her tense muscles. Had she passed out, the recovery alone would have taken hours. It was necessary to ease her muscles now for tomorrow’s sake.
Just then, a familiar voice reached her.
“You seem to be handling it better than expected.”
“Of course… Lord Logan!”
Eileen automatically responded before fully realizing the owner of the voice.
“Fortunate, as it seems I shall be able to keep my promise.”
“Naturally.”
“Any regrets?”
“…Yes.”
“What?”
“I regret not having undergone proper training before now.”
Laughing at her response, the man with the crimson eyes smiled again.
“Should I expect more from you going forward?”
“As much as you like.”
It wasn’t just defiance this time. Something about Logan’s crimson gaze conveyed a profound expectation.
‘As if a woman could be a knight!’
Her dream, always met with scorn and obstruction, now had someone rooting and looking forward to it.
That in itself was enough reason to keep going.
A week later.
Logan smiled from a distance as he watched the knights who had completed their physical training move on to practice the Iron-blood Sword. More precisely, he couldn’t help but smile at the sight of one particular knight, who seemed much smaller than the others, grunting and struggling to learn the basics of the Iron-blood Sword.
‘She’s adjusting well.’
Despite her blatantly inadequate strength, she tenaciously kept up with the training for a week and managed to never fall behind. The knights secretly admitted that regardless of her skill, they recognized her tenacity. At the very least, it didn’t seem like they were sparing her compliments just because she was his fiancée.
If she continued to present herself as she had, Eileen would eventually be accepted into the knight order. And that would add a new dimension of possibility to the MacLaine he aimed to build.
‘Of course, I must make the most of this opportunity, no, this hurdle.’
Now was the time to prepare for seizing that chance.
* * *
[Soldier Training Progress Report – Kaisolon]
[Food and Weapon Management Report (Special. Crossbow) – Lugel Heiss]
[Financial Report (Related to Phillip Merchants) – Dwayne Philsner]
Awakened from his nightly contemplation, Logan picked up the reports he had been reviewing. ‘Everything seems fine on paper. Just need to do some field checks.’
In his absence, it appeared his father and vassals had performed their duties adequately. All that remained was for Logan to verify and supplement where necessary, and to wait for the right moment.
As he relived the tasks in his mind, he left his room. As dawn began to light the horizon, the fresh morning air brought clarity.
But his footsteps, initially hastened, slowed and changed direction as they followed a familiar aura, a sense of kinship. And he found himself at the back of the residence, by the training ground.
Boom!
The dull sound of a wooden training sword cutting through the air was the first thing to greet him. A figure swung the sword relentlessly with a stern expression, seemingly oblivious to the early morning sun.
Although still showing signs of youth, there was a maturity in the face that lay between boyhood and manhood. The familiar face with red hair and eyes similar to his own belonged to a young man sweating profusely in his training.
‘Ronian?’
From the soaked state of his training gear, it was evident that he hadn’t just started. ‘Sword training before sunrise…’ It was clear this wasn’t the schedule Logan had set. Indeed, even the established schedule was fairly demanding.
Too much can be as detrimental as too little, especially when it comes to physical martial arts. Pushing beyond one’s limits often results in harm rather than growth. ‘He should know better.’
With concern etched on his face, Logan approached his younger brother. But the closer he got, the more he felt a deja vu. This scene seemed familiar, yet no memory came to mind of his always-smiling brother looking so determined, at least not in this life…
‘Aha!’
Suddenly, a memory from his previous life surfaced. The last time he saw his brother: Ronian MacLaine, beset with Aura, cutting through enemies at the western gate of the capital, Gran. Before his inglorious fall, the desperate face of a proud warrior matched the one he now saw in his brother.
‘Why now?’
Ronian was unaware of any imminent threat or war, let alone the uncertain future. If he simply grew into an Aura user like before, that would be enough. Logan never intended to burden him beyond that.
It was this thought that made Ronian’s seriousness all the more perplexing.
Thwack.
“Whoa, brother!”
Startled by Logan’s unintentional approach, Ronian, deep in training, turned. His expression brightened upon seeing Logan, and he approached with a beaming smile that seemed to erase all traces of earlier severity.
“How long have you been at it? It’s quite early.”
“Ha, just couldn’t sleep,” answered Ronian with a chuckle.
“Overtraining is harmful. You know that, right?”
“Yes, I do, brother.”
“And yet…”
Logan’s gaze fell on Ronian’s hands. Blood from the clenched right hand flowed down the blade, dripping from its edge.
“Swinging a sword so hard your grip bleeds?”
“Oh?!”
Ronian looked at his hand in shock, quickly hiding it behind his back as if out of sight meant out of mind. It was a foolish gesture, similar to how some birds act, thinking they’re hidden if they can’t see.
‘This is serious.’
Logan’s expression turned grave.
“Sorry, brother.”
“You shouldn’t be apologizing to me… No, wait. Do you have a reason to train so intensely? Is there something troubling you?”
“…No. Nothing special.”
Avoiding eye contact so blatantly gave away his lie. The young man about to turn seventeen couldn’t be more transparent.
While Logan silently watched his evasive brother, Ronian voiced a different thought.
“I feel as though I’m not contributing to the family.”
“Hmm?”
“Even if I cannot match you, I want to become someone necessary, helpful to our house…”
“You feel as if you’re not?”
“Yes. Victor is fulfilling his duties as a knight, but I’m just the lord’s son, with no responsibilities.”
“That’s…”
“So, I must do my best with what I can right now.”
There was little Logan could offer in response, other than the usual counsel.
“That’s right. However, you must keep your health in check during training. I’ll repeat myself: overdoing it is worse than underdoing it, especially with training.”
“Yes, I’ll remember that, brother.”
Though not entirely reassuring, Logan chose not to press further.
“Good, I trust you.”
With a pat on his brother’s shoulder, Logan turned and left the training ground. It wasn’t necessary for him to interfere further.
In his previous life, even as their family fell apart, Ronian managed to become an Aura user without a mentor. Naturally superior in both physical and mental aptitude, Logan trusted Ronian to handle any challenges, even those unspoken.
However, as he distanced himself from his brother, Ronian’s murmur, seemingly meant not to be heard, halted Logan’s steps.
“You’ve gone too far ahead, brother, and Victor is breathing down my neck. And I, lacking, can only run like a madman.”
He must’ve been swinging that sword again with his wounded grip.
‘Damn it…’
Logan had paired Ronian with Victor with the intention for them to stimulate each other. But the situation seemed to have escalated beyond expectation, driving Ronian to such lengths. Logan had thought his brother to be gentle, but he proved to possess a far more combative spirit.
Yet as Logan considered returning to intervene, another thought stopped him.
‘That face of his…’
In his previous life, when Ronian reached the pinnacle of Aura users, his face was so similar to now. Could one simply quantify the efforts of those extraordinary beings, known to surpass human limits, under the logic of efficiency?
In the past life where the MacLaine name had all but perished, could his brother, who became an Aura user without an instructor, have been driven solely by efficient effort?
It seemed unlikely.
‘…A mistake now and then isn’t the end. I can help him up later. That won’t be too late.’
Right now, Logan would observe his brother’s efforts and determination.
He managed to withdraw his gaze and, with some effort, resumed walking. Ronian’s struggle was his own, and the time wasn’t right for Logan to step in. Not yet.
---------------------------
Chapter 87
“Sigh!”
Thud-thud-thud-thud.
Whish-thwack.
Despite earnestly making the horse gallop and taking aim with the crossbow, the bolts fired in quick succession narrowly missed their targets, embedding themselves in the ground instead.
“Ah…”
A sigh laced with disappointment escaped Norden, a fledgling soldier who had barely finished a year of training.
Yet, his performance was still somewhat better than his peers around him.
Whish-whish-whish.
The bolts misfired embarrassingly off-target, while some soldiers still struggled to manage the reins atop the unsteady saddle, their sore backsides testament to their turmoil.
In truth, this was to be expected.
Accurately hitting a target with a bow while on horseback, let alone even with a crossbow, was challenging with just one year of training.
But Norden’s eyes were fixed not on his average performing peers but rather on the few who appeared to perform this nearly impossible task with disconcerting ease.
“Charge!”
“Fire!”
Effortlessly shooting targets while charging and even hitting them from behind, nine times out of ten, was the ‘Knight Trainees’.
Recognized for their talent and solely focused on training, exempt from guard duties, Norden had believed their training primarily consisted of physical conditioning and sword and spear techniques.
Buoyed by the overwhelming victory in the last battle, he had wagered that he had dedicated just as much time, if not more, to crossbow training as them.
Yet, it was these three hundred who boasted a remarkable performance.
Even when facing Sylvan in battle, more than half of them hadn’t been as adept.
There was no other explanation but a stark difference in talent.
‘Those are the ones who’ll become knights.’
The crossbow cavalry, including instructors from the royal guards and the half of veteran soldiers who had been with the young duke from the beginning plus the knight trainees, now numbered over nine hundred.
Minus the Order of Knights, they were the MacLaine Army’s finest at this moment.
The tale of how the young duke had saved the family in crisis with just three hundred crossbow cavalrymen was known far and wide in MacLaine.
Being recognized as one of these elite meant receiving the same honor.
Moreover, the crossbow cavalry’s wages had officially more than doubled the standard soldier’s pay after the previous battle.
With that in mind.
‘After all that effort…’
Overwhelmed by a sense of defeat, Norden hung his head low.
He had felt his lack of knightly talent over the last year, putting aside monstrous outliers like Victor, who had quickly risen to knighthood, and turned his ambition to joining the crossbow cavalry, only to fail there too.
His own ineptitude felt all too acute.
If he failed again, the next selection would be even more challenging with soldiers from Sylvan also eligible to apply, many of whom were cavalry experts.
‘I need to provide for my family.’
His father had been bedridden for three months due to illness.
His pregnant mother, nearing childbirth, could hardly tend the farm.
Despite clenching his teeth to resist, tears flowed helplessly.
“How embarrassing…”
Wiping away tears in a hurry, his attention was pulled by a robust voice suddenly carrying over.
“Enough! You, you, you, and those with similar scores, select and round them up to a thousand. For now, exclude lance and sword techniques from their training and focus on horsemanship and crossbow!”
Watching from a distance, the young duke pointed out several individuals.
If Norden wasn’t mistaken, one of those points was definitely directed his way.
“Me, sir?”
“It seems so.”
Sighing, the instructor next to him patted Norden on the back.
“Oh, hurray!”
Although Norden cheered,
“This could mean another war…”
The worn-out mercenary-turned-instructor sensed another ominous scent of blood in the duke’s orders and grimaced.
* * *
“How have the Sylvan knights settled in?”
“Perfectly assimilated into the Order. They’ve received their mithril swords, and the morale’s high with the imparting of the bloodsteel swords,” replied Knight Commander Heinkel to his liege, Logan.
“Good,” Logan responded, a trace of satisfaction in his voice.
“What about the others?”
“No issues, just good news,” Heinkel’s lips curled into a faint smile as he continued his report.
“Such as?”
“Our morale’s notably uplifted thanks to Lady Aileen’s participation in the training.”
“Hmm?”
“Well, for now, they’re motivated by not wanting to be beaten by a lady.”
Amused by the unexpected beneficial effect, Logan chuckled.
“What’s the headcount for our knight forces?”
“Counting myself, 152 in full.”
“Good.”
Logan turned away, pondering the costs.
“The upkeep for a thousand crossbow cavalrymen and a hundred fifty knights, what’s the estimate?”
“We can handle twice that comfortably,” answered Dwayne, who, like Heinkel, emanated confidence.
Yet Logan’s reaction was slightly different this time.
“Merely twice…”
“Merely? We have nearly 3,000 horses in our territory. And with the ongoing influx and maintenance of the stables, the cost is…”
“Tush, I misspoke. There’ll be more funds in the future.”
“Again with the unease, my Lord. Are you preparing for war?!”
“What does it look like I’m doing?”
“…,” Dwayne was momentarily left speechless.
Despite his lord’s assertive demeanor, the uncertainties looming were an inseparable presence.
“Our focus now should be on growth, to eventually stand against Hephaestus.”
“Yes, I know.”
“Then why even speak of lacking?”
“But when one is aware of their deficiencies, there comes a time when they must act regardless. And for us, that time…”
Those words, as though admonishing, came from the young yet somber Lord Logan.
“It’s now for us.”
Unable to object further in the face of their lord’s serious countenance, both councilors could only nod weakly, their hearts heavy with the nuances of the unspeakable.
“If only we weren’t heading towards a war…”
With that innermost thought forever unspoken, Logan urged them to move on to other matters.
* * *
“New training?”
“Yes.”
“You do realize our knight order is already undergoing some of the most rigorous training compared to others, right?”
“Of course,” Logan acknowledged.
“And yet you wish to add more?”
“Just hear me out.”
Logan laid out his plan to Patrick, and the discussion was brief.
“Interesting. This might be useful.”
That single comment effectively added another brutal regimen to the already hellish training courses of the MacLaine knight order.
Cries of pain filled the air as a knight, who barely reached the top after climbing a vertical cliff, got struck with a wooden sword.
Slipping into unconsciousness, he plummeted 20 meters, only to be caught by the High Knight Patrick.
Catching his comrade with a soft thud, Patrick marked him as a dropout.
The confrontation was intense, and the knight joined his fellow dropouts, their spirits crushed by the near-death ordeal.
Amidst groans of discomfort, yet another knight took a tumble just as Heinkel caught him with a strained look.
“Hellish training,” the knights murmured.
“Shh. It’s the duke’s idea.”
“Cursed duke…”
A low mutter could hardly be considered a pleasant experience.
But Logan’s father had clapped his hands in approval upon hearing the training proposal, pleased with its execution.
“An excellent fortification drill, beneficial to both offense and defense. If only a tad less dangerous, it would be perfect!”
Just a tad? That was the understatement of their grueling ordeal, and all knights in wait glared daggers at the back of their lord’s head, quickly looking away when he turned to address them.
“Focus, all of you! Start again from the front line! For every dropout, a 10-gold deduction from monthly pay. Succeed, and it’s the opposite. Hanson, keep this up and you won’t see this month’s pay.”
The threat of wage cuts prompted even the dropouts to eye the cliff again, their dread unabated.
Most were common knights who faced superior-rank opponents, making the challenge seem insurmountable.
‘How could anyone even succeed?’
Resignation set in, yet a surprising challenger gave hope.
“Wow…”
“Decent effort…”
A petite knight swiftly scaled the cliff, nearing the top quickly.
“Fast, but…”
“In vain.”
The knights assumed failure was inevitable for this upstart—the odds were against the climber unless they were far superior or numerous.
Yet, the sight heartened some watchers.
“She’s got grit… and excellent swordsmanship for her age. The potential’s endless.”
“Evidently.”
Logan’s smile was genuine upon hearing his father’s approval—he knew Aileen had won over the majority of the MacLaine knight order.
Her progress was more rapid than anticipated, so he watched her attempt with a smile.
That is until the moment before the outcome.
With a sickening thwack, the cliff-scaling knight avoided a wooden sword and struck back, the force of the blow suggesting more than just injury—it threatened life itself.
In that instant, as she claimed her place on the precipice…