Ch.32EP.10 – The Knight Work Hard at Their Side Jobs Too (3)

“I told you to do 10,000 repetitions, but I never set a deadline for when to complete them. What I want isn’t just for you to reach that number, but for you to develop the strength and endurance to stably do 10,000 rotations with that rope. But don’t just mindlessly try to reach the number! How many times do I have to tell you fools not to obsess over the numbers! Feel the stimulus, understand how your muscles move, learn how your limbs work!”

Ihan Turtle didn’t hold back his criticism of the so-called young masters with red markers.

“Is it because you’re young masters? Do you need someone to wait on you hand and foot before you’ll listen? Why can’t you understand simple instructions?”

“…We’re not young masters.”

“Oh please, it’s obvious you were raised with silver spoons. Ah, perhaps you don’t even realize you’re young masters?”

“You…!”

“Angry? If you’re angry, try doing better. Why are you so weak that you need to be scolded by a demoted knight? Tsk tsk.”

“Just you wait! Someday I’ll put a blade in that face of yours!”

“Ohhh, I sincerely hope you can make that happen.”

“!!?”

His provocation skills had reached the level of mastery.

With his tongue, he rolled them around. Ihan laughed, telling them to curse him all they wanted in their hearts.

‘Curse me all you want, it’ll help you live longer.’

His mental fortitude was too strong to be shaken by mere insults.

Ihan spared no criticism and constantly pushed them.

However, he didn’t focus solely on the young master cadets and tried to pay attention to everyone.

First, those with yellow markers.

The so-called chicks.

Mostly composed of women.

Those who hadn’t even learned basic swordsmanship, let alone combat techniques.

Therefore.

“You chicks aren’t ready to hold even a wooden sword, let alone a real one. So what’s immediately important for you is basic strength and stamina. Oh, and by the way, don’t worry about developing muscles while exercising. Muscles don’t develop that quickly, and they certainly won’t develop from just this level of exercise.”

He was kind.

This wasn’t because they were women, but simply because they were newbies who barely qualified as sprouts.

How could one be harsh to someone who doesn’t even know how to operate a treadmill at the gym?

He was gentle, if anything.

“In-Instructor, will this jump rope thing really build stamina?”

“That’s a good question, Chick Cadet #1.”

“C-couldn’t you just call me Levi?”

A sincere question from Levi Jeanne d’Arc, who had made a good impression the day before.

Excellent.

Now that he was in a teaching position, he understood.

How precious it was to have such a diligent student who asked questions.

Holding back his desire to give her bonus points, Ihan continued in an even softer tone.

“Jump rope doesn’t just build stamina. It enhances muscular endurance and cardiopulmonary function, as well as balance and motor skills. Of course, you won’t see results immediately, but if you do it consistently every day, you’ll eventually feel your body changing.”

“Ah…”

“By the way, it’s also one of the best exercises for weight loss.”

“!!!”

At these words, all the female cadets perked up like meerkats, showing immediate interest.

Motivation.

Ihan had given the chicks a reason to work hard.

“That’s not all. If you follow the instructor’s training well, you’ll eventually enjoy wearing clothes. Those of you interested in fashion will know this. Even if you wear clothes that fit perfectly, sometimes they still don’t look good. That can happen when your body is too thin or lacks tone. But when your body develops overall tone, even clothes that didn’t suit you before can start looking beautiful.”

“R-really?”

“This instructor doesn’t lie. Let me tell you something even more enticing. Lady-in-waiting!”

“Yes!”

Leira Winter appeared immediately at Ihan’s call.

A new face to them.

Seeing her in royal lady-in-waiting attire, the women’s eyes widened.

After all, being a royal lady-in-waiting was one of the dream jobs for most noble women.

To these women.

“Lady-in-waiting, would you demonstrate for us?”

“Yesss.”

Though her somewhat languid tone and expression didn’t inspire much confidence, the moment she performed a curtsy, the women’s eyes changed.

Their gazes filled with astonishment!

“Wow, perfect.”

This was the sincere comment from a noblewoman from an ancient family, and everyone acknowledged it.

It truly was a perfect and beautiful curtsy.

“As you can see, the lady-in-waiting’s posture is beautiful. That’s because her sense of balance and posture are correct. And to achieve such correct and beautiful posture, the strength of the back and buttocks is crucial. Well, do you feel motivated to work hard now?”

“…Yesss.”

“I heard your answer. I promise. If you chicks follow the training schedule I set, I’ll help you develop a wonderful posture that will make anyone who sees you think you’re beautiful.”

“Y-yes!”

With this, the female cadets—no, the chicks—promised to follow him like religious devotees.

Indeed, what moves people is their fundamental desires.

Ihan found himself amusing for going this far, but newbies always deserved kindness.

On the other hand.

“Green sprouts!”

“A-are you talking to us?”

“Yes, I’m talking to you.”

“…It doesn’t sound like an insult, but it feels…”

He was particularly strict with those who had green markers.

They were neither newbies nor advanced, so they needed extra strictness.

“You’ve learned some swordsmanship. You haven’t learned combat techniques, but you’ve probably diligently practiced swordsmanship since childhood. So you actually have good basic physical fitness. Better than those red young masters over there.”

“…I think I prefer being called a sprout.”

“Try to work hard enough to be called a weed.”

“Th-that’s also…”

“Anyway, let me give you some serious advice. If you want to become knights, I’d recommend quitting the academy right now rather than continuing to attend.”

“…W-why is that?”

After a moment of silence, they asked.

They’d observed that he didn’t speak harshly without reason.

And as predicted.

“Because you haven’t learned combat techniques.”

“…Ugh!”

The moment combat techniques were mentioned, their faces darkened as if confronting a reality they’d been trying to ignore.

“Some of you already know. Yes, there’s a huge gap between those who have learned combat techniques and those who haven’t. It’s like an unfair gap between a child and an adult fighting.”

Even a well-built adult known for strength in the village would be overwhelmed by a child who had learned combat techniques.

And knights were beings who had mastered these combat techniques to the extreme, which was why they were both admired and feared.

“Of course, you who have entered the academy will be able to learn basic combat techniques provided by the academy. However, the combat techniques provided by the academy are fundamentally inferior. It’s like a sandwich with just bread and vegetables, without ham, cheese, or sauce. Well, if there’s an extraordinary genius among you, they might be able to go to the extreme even with such inferior combat techniques.”

“…Haha.”

It was just a sweet dream.

If someone were that much of a genius, they would have already been taken by a noble to become a knight apprentice.

Not to the academy.

“Yes, nothing in this world is absolute. Still, this instructor doesn’t think staying in the swordsmanship department is a particularly good choice for you. If you had joined an upper mercenary group or warrior/swordsman guild instead, you could have learned proper combat techniques, not inferior ones. …Although it would be a life where you risk your life.”

“That’s why we came here.”

One of the sprouts replied.

Ihan nodded.

Mercenary work was notorious for frequent deaths.

Guilds were closed-off and would do anything for money, making them sinister and cruel.

So it wasn’t somewhere one should go lightly.

But Ihan knew.

‘By the second or third year, most commoner students in the swordsmanship department drop out and join mercenary groups or guilds. It’s because the gap with the noble young masters is too large.’

That’s why all the remaining second and third-year swordsmanship department students were nobles.

In a way, it showed the unfair reality of the academy.

It was ironic.

While claiming to recruit talent, it was the mercenary groups and guilds that were thriving, not the kingdom.

At this rate, there was a high possibility that the power dynamic between knight orders and mercenaries/guilds would reverse within 20, no, even 10 years.

Numbers don’t lie, and the resources of mercenaries and guilds would only grow richer.

‘Well, is that my concern?’

By then, either he would have defeated Baltar, or that man would have retired due to old age, so he couldn’t stop him.

‘…Surely he won’t still be around after 10 years.’

That man will age too.

…Surely.

“Instructor?”

“Ah, sorry. The instructor got a bit lost in thought.”

“…Thank you. For thinking of us that way.”

“Umm, it’s, it’s the instructor’s duty.”

There seems to be a misunderstanding, but let’s leave it be.

A good misunderstanding can be beneficial.

“Ahem, anyway, this instructor doesn’t see it as positive for the sprout cadets to be at the academy.”

“……”

“However, the instructor’s duty is to teach you well, and as an instructor of the swordsmanship department, there’s a need to make you stronger. In that sense, the instructor is thinking of teaching the sprout cadets ‘this’.”

“?”

“Watch carefully.”

Ihan picked up a fallen branch.

It was a broken but seemingly sturdy branch, and Ihan lightly placed his fist against it and remained still.

But then.

“You saw it yesterday? The technique called ‘Gyeong’.”

Crack!

-!!!?

In an instant, the branch was crushed, and they were astonished.

The crushing of the branch wasn’t particularly surprising, but what was truly amazing was that he hadn’t made any movement.

Zero distance.

He didn’t strike, just placed his fist against it, and without making any motion, the branch was crushed.

Who wouldn’t be amazed by this?

“I’ve named it the ‘Method of Hardening.’ Some of you might have heard it yesterday. This isn’t a combat technique. It’s using the comprehensive power of bones, muscles, tendons, and more. In other words, it’s a skill learned through effort, and once you grasp the feel of it, its applications are limitless.”

“Y-you’re going to teach us such a precious skill!?”

They were shocked.

Although he was their instructor, they couldn’t help but be amazed that he would teach such a valuable skill.

Hadn’t they seen?

His skill that overwhelmed a genius they could never hope to match, even if they died and were reborn twice, using just a wooden sword.

And knowing that this skill called Gyeong was the reason it was possible, they couldn’t believe he would teach such a precious technique.

But of course, nothing in the world is free.

“Naturally, I don’t intend to teach it for free.”

As expected.

Ihan wasn’t a pushover who would give away everything.

His technique was, in a way, an idea he had realized through personal experience in battlefields and training—it was “intellectual property.”

So teaching it for free would be a loss.

However.

‘Originally, even martial artists teach their techniques for a living after retirement.’

Shouldn’t he also prepare for his old age?

Something substantial, like a pension lottery.

Hiding his secret intentions, Ihan gave a rather lengthy explanation.

“First of all, if you receive this technique from the instructor, you must all regard the instructor as your ‘Grand Master,’ and after you start earning income post-employment, you must pay dues to your Grand Master, the instructor, for 15 years. Also, you must not teach the instructor’s technique to others at will, and to teach it, you must absolutely have the instructor’s permission.”

A 15-year long-term pension is irresistible.

“And if you learn the technique from the instructor, a master-disciple relationship will be formed. Forming a master-disciple relationship doesn’t mean just playing at being friendly. It means you must monitor each other and thoroughly manage to ensure the technique doesn’t leak out. If someone misuses the technique, you must punish them directly, and if someone steals the technique, you must also retaliate against them.”

Additional pension is valuable. And if he has children, he should leave them some inheritance.

And it’s unforgivable for others to steal that inheritance.

“Of course, I’m not asking you to decide right now. Think about it thoroughly and then speak. It could be an important crossroads in your life. But the instructor wants to say this: If you want to become strong, don’t you need the ‘determination’ to bet your life on it?”

—That’s all.

“……”

Silence fell.

It was such a surprising array of statements.

‘Strict, but… all doable!’

Although the conditions were quite strict, they were strict but entirely acceptable.

Even the instructors who had taught them swordsmanship had imposed similar conditions.

The instructor’s conditions were just a bit stricter and more long-term.

But if they could learn a precious skill that couldn’t be learned anywhere else, this was more than sufficient—it was an overflowing benefit.

However, they needed to think about it.

As the instructor said, they needed to strengthen their determination to bet their lives.

After sufficient contemplation, they should decide so as not to regret later…

“Kunta! I want to learn that! Instructor, I’ll regard you as my Grand Master!”

“If there’s a dispute or problem among fellow disciples, how should we handle it? Are there established rules?”

“Should we call you Grand Master now, instead of Instructor?”

“How fortunate. I was hoping to learn it anyway.”

“The rich always want more…”

The four cadets who had gathered suddenly, having listened from who knows when, made Ihan click his tongue in astonishment.

These wealthy ones, why are they so greedy?

But seeing those with talent and privilege willingly approach, the sprouts made their decision.

“…We only live once, might as well take the challenge.”

It was enough to dispel their hesitation.

“By the way, Sir Knight.”

“Why do you call me, Lady-in-waiting?”

“So you’ve formed a faction, but what’s its name?”

“Name?”

“Yes! Every faction has a name, right?”

“A name…”

A part he hadn’t really thought about.

A sharp observation.

Although it was decided on the spot, a name was important for creating a sense of belonging.

And after a bit of contemplation.

“How about the ‘One Hundred and Eight Arhats’?”

“That’s an unusual name?”

“It means I hope to gather 108 excellent warriors someday, haha.”

“That’s a good meaning!”

The innocent lady-in-waiting who knew nothing praised him cheerfully, and Ihan felt a bit guilty.

Sometimes, such innocence can be more piercing to the heart than anything else.