Chapter 162

Episode 162

The knights of the Walker Knight Order were sweating profusely under the scorching sun, diligently engaged in their training.

Their instructor was Vice-captain Paris.

He was a kind and gentle husband and father, but on the training ground, he transformed into a different person. His steel-like physique and sharp gaze were intimidating.

“Your movements are sluggish! Do you think you can survive a battle like that? Do you want to be a course meal on a monster’s table?”

“No, sir!”

The knights snapped back to attention. They were carrying massive logs on their shoulders, undergoing basic physical training.

“Chant ‘For the family’ on one, and ‘For victory’ on two. Begin! One!”

“For the family!”

“Two!”

“For victory!”

The knights of the Walker Knight Order had gained valuable experience in a short period. However, Paris still saw many areas where they needed improvement.

While Selendis was tasked with teaching the Walker Swordsmanship, Paris was responsible for basic physical training and tactical drills.

The division of labor was thorough and professional.

Thanks to this, the Walker Knight Order, unlike other knight orders, was able to achieve rapid progress in a short time.

However, the standards of their instructors were simply high.

Administrator Balzac cautiously approached Paris and said, “Vice-captain, may I have a moment?”

“Oh, Administrator. Please speak.”

The knights’ chants continued in the background.

“A messenger arrived from the capital. The lord has officially begun his mission.”

“It’s finally starting!”

Not many people knew that O’Brien was undertaking another mission as an Inspector, in addition to his role as Plenipotentiary.

“Do you know what the mission is about?”

“I don’t know the details. But Lady Lucia mentioned it’s related to House Whitefield.”

“Whitefield? That won’t be easy. Margrave Finwinter is the most belligerent and stubborn of all the previous heads of the family.”

The fact that House Whitefield was in conflict with the Empire was already widely known. Both men’s faces were clouded with worry.

It wasn’t because they were concerned about the Empire’s safety.

It was because of their master, O’Brien. They only wished for his safe return.

“But I believe in the lord. He’s the one who appointed me, someone with no connections, as the administrator and acting lord. I believe he can overcome any difficulty.”

“Haha, thank you for saying what I wanted to say.”

“I seem to have taken up too much of your time. I’ll take my leave.”

Balzac left, and Paris looked out over the training ground again and shouted, “Group 4! Did you just stumble? Do you plan to be that clumsy on the battlefield when arrows are flying?”

“N-No, sir!”

“Focus! Imagine you’re in the middle of a fire! Brace your legs! Run as if it’s your last sprint!”

“Waaagh!”

The knights exerted all their strength.

They rolled and tumbled until sunset. None of them had training clothes that weren’t torn or stained with mud.

It was summer, the season of long days.

They ran ten laps around the training ground in full armor. But they couldn’t hold on for long. Exhausted, they began to collapse one by one.

Paris smiled in satisfaction at the sight.

“Good. Very impressive. You ran half a lap more than yesterday. It means your stamina has improved.”

Deneve barely managed to get up. He asked, catching his breath, “Huff, huff… Vice-captain, how many more laps do we have to run before this training ends?”

“Training never ends.”

The knights, who were struggling to get up, collapsed again at those words.

“If we continue like this for a month, you’ll be able to run 50 laps in full armor.”

“Ugh!”

“Blegh!”

Disgusting sounds erupted from all around at the horrifying joke. They had nothing left in their stomachs to vomit but bile.

Paris descended to the training ground and helped the knights up.

They all stood up and formed ranks again.

Paris stepped forward, looked at the knights, and grinned.

“I think you can still run a couple more laps.”

If this were Baron Gerard’s territory, there would have been boos. But these knights were different. They were filled with pride, despite their exhaustion.

“We can do it!”

“We can even run five more laps!”

Paris nodded, satisfied with their response.

“Good. I like your spirit. I don’t agree with the saying that a strong mind creates a healthy body. It’s the other way around. A healthy body houses a strong mind! Physical training will make your minds even stronger. But just as important as training is sufficient rest. Tomorrow’s training is canceled.”

“What?”

“Oooooh!”

The knights cheered. Paris grinned and raised his fist to get their attention.

“But don’t get too relaxed, or the training will be ineffective. Maintain a certain level of tension. Keep that in mind!”

“Vice-captain, can we rest and maintain tension at the same time?”

“You should rest when you rest.”

“Of course!”

“I always feel uneasy. I feel guilty lying comfortably in bed while the lord and captain are working hard far away.”

The excited atmosphere instantly subsided.

“That’s what I mean by maintaining tension. We shouldn’t forget that we can rest comfortably, even for a day, thanks to the lord and captain’s consideration.”

“Yes!”

“We’ll keep that in mind!”

“Good. Dismissed!”

The knights removed their weapons and armor, preparing to go out. Deneve, the leader of the new knights, suggested beer, and everyone agreed.

Ferguson, who was chosen as the second-highest contributor in the recent territorial war, was the designated payer.

But there was one person who didn’t let go of her weapon.

“Ionia, aren’t you coming?”

“I need to train more. I don’t feel like it’s enough yet.”

“Didn’t you hear the vice-captain? Sufficient rest is just as important as training.”

“If you haven’t trained enough, shouldn’t you postpone rest?”

With those words, Ionia activated her aura and launched a sword energy towards the iron scarecrow.

*Whoosh!*

*Thud!*

She had already exhausted a lot of aura, so only the impact registered. The specially treated scarecrow was unharmed.

Jericho had created a special metal that couldn’t be broken by the aura of apprentice or low-ranking knights. One had to break it to qualify for the intermediate knight exam.

Ionia wanted to prove her strength by breaking the scarecrow as soon as possible.

“Hey, Ionia, take it easy. Okay? The scarecrow needs to rest too. Don’t you feel sorry for it, getting beaten up all the time?”

This time, Ferguson stepped in. Deneve, Ionia, and Ferguson often hung out together as the leaders of the group.

But Ionia just continued to gather her aura.

Ferguson clicked his tongue at the sight.

“Tsk. It’s no use persuading her. Let’s just go without her.”

“Ionia, don’t push yourself too hard. Rest tomorrow. If you change your mind, come to the tavern we always go to.”

“I’ll be waiting!”

A group of knights left the training ground.

Then, children began to appear one by one in the empty space. Some held real swords, while others held wooden swords.

They were the knights’ squires, specially selected by O’Brien.

They could only train after the knights vacated the training ground.

“Isn’t Lady Ionia amazing? Her aura seems to have a bluer hue now.”

“She’ll become an intermediate knight soon.”

“Sage is lucky.”

The squires took their positions and swung their swords.

Sage was among them.

Still young among the squires, he held a wooden sword and swung it as Ionia had taught him.

His small hands were covered in scars and calluses.

“Ha! Hya!”

He shouted and swung his sword. His swordsmanship was still rough, but that only made him try harder.

*Whoosh! Whoosh!*

After who knows how long, a shadow fell over him, and a giant man appeared. It was Gladius.

“You’ve improved a lot, Sage.”

“Captain! When did you arrive?”

“Just now.”

Gladius, the leader of the Walker Mercenary Corps, had returned from escorting the gold shipment. It had been about a month.

Ionia, who was meditating and recovering her aura nearby, was unaware of her father’s arrival.

“How have you been?”

“I’m doing well! How about you, Captain?”

“I’m fine too. You seem more energetic. “

Gladius crouched down to Sage’s eye level and ruffled his hair.

Sage liked Gladius.

Not just because he occasionally taught him swordsmanship, but because he was the one who punished the monsters that had harmed his father.

“Swing your sword again. Focus.”

“Hya!”

*Whoosh!*

The wooden sword drew a clean arc. Gladius smiled with satisfaction.

“Sage, would you like to spar with me?”

“M-Me?”

Gladius picked up a wooden sword from the side. It didn’t suit his physique, but it didn’t matter.

Technically, the mercenary corps couldn’t interfere with the knights’ affairs.

But O’Brien and Selendis had given special orders. So Gladius was teaching the knights practical combat skills whenever he had time.

Instructing a squire was nothing.

“Come.”

“Hyaaa!”

Sage swung his sword with a youthful shout.

*Clang!*

Gladius easily blocked the attack. Sage faltered.

“If you retreat after a failed attack, you’ll be counterattacked. When you attack, you have to be like a storm.”

“Haaa!”

*Clang!*

*Clang!*

*Clang!*

His clumsy and awkward attacks were cleanly blocked.

No matter how many times he tried, he couldn’t even touch Gladius’s clothes.

“Are you frustrated that your attacks aren’t working?”

“Not really, but…”

“Focus on the tingling sensation in your chest. And try to transfer that feeling to your sword through your arm. Slowly.”

He didn’t understand what he meant.

There was something tingling in his chest. But how could he transfer it to his hand?

“You can do it. You’re a smart boy.”

Encouraged by his words, Sage focused on the tingling sensation.

“Hup!”

It didn’t work at first.

But as he kept trying, he felt a wriggling movement, and finally, he succeeded in gathering it in his hand through his arm.

He also felt a sense of unease.

It was an unprecedented power. He felt like something dangerous would happen if it escaped his body.

“Don’t worry. I’m here.”

He felt reassured.

Sage swallowed hard and transferred the unprecedented power to his sword.

*Flash!*

A white light burst forth.

It was faint compared to other knights’ aura, but it was enough to illuminate the darkness.

“…What’s that?”

“Light?”

“Sage’s wooden sword is glowing!”

The squires who were training were startled by Sage’s sword.

They weren’t the only ones surprised.

Ionia, who was meditating, also approached Sage.

Her eyes widened as she saw it clearly. What surrounded Sage’s wooden sword was definitely aura.

His talent had blossomed.