Chapter 230: The Knight Makes A Home Visit (3)

Lee Han felt uneasy after seeing the cross-section of the bronze statue.

…There are no traces of melting?

Bronze was also a metal. It meant that it needed to be melted at high temperatures in order to be processed. However, there was no trace of such a thing in the statue.

The only thing that was visible was.

It’s carved?

It only showed traces that looked like they had been carved with a chisel.

No, not chisel.

What did they leave behind?

A cut?

The cross-section left on the bronze statue had a fine cut mark.

That was definitely the mark left by a blade like a rapier.

How can he be sure?

I have seen some guys with their flesh cut off like that when I was a mercenary.’

Lee Han had seen guys who had their flesh cut off by a rapier, and he also had been hit by a rapier himself. Of course, the guy who attacked him died by his hand. Anyway, Lee Han had experience and knowledge, and it wasn’t difficult to deduce that it was the result of cutting with a rapier.

However, as soon as he became certain.

What a monster.

Lee Han became amazed.

I could also use my power to compress the iron or to shape it. Once that is done, I might be able to make a statue.

It would also be possible to use the sword energy to cut it.

…However, that would only result in something that was created by force, and it wouldn’t be possible to make it look as natural as the bronze statue.

That cross-section was definitely not cut with Sword Energy. It was just cut by blade.

It was as if cutting tofu or clay.

Wasn’t that an absurd skill, or rather, the realm of the sword?

“…”

Clang-!

At that moment, Lee Han felt his own sword and tried to gauge it. Can his sword block the swordsmanship of someone with such pure skill without any Sword Energy?

…impossible.

Yes, it was impossible. If someone with that much Sword Skill were to attack him, he shouldn’t block it, but rather dodge.

However…

Hmm, it seems like it’s quite possible to get hit without having to die?

─Lee Han really wanted to get hit by that Sword Skill.

The Offen mansion that he arrived at after passing through the village was unlike the mansions of ordinary noble families that used the entire forest far from the city as their mansion and garden. It was located in the city, and it was also very small in size.

No, rather than being small, he thought it was closer to being built with practicality and frugality in mind.

Moreover, the number of facilities that were more like huge dojos or training grounds far dwarfed the number of mansions. Just looking at that, it was clear that the Offen family was different from other noble families…

“Are you here? Kunta welcomes guests!”

“?”

“If you need anything, just let Kunta know, Kunta will bring it or guide you!”

“…K-Kunta? What are you doing here?”

“Kunta is experiencing society! Kunta earn pocket money at Arno’s mansion!”

“???”

Seeing a barbarian working in the mansion was making the scene not only odd but entirely weird.

“Didn’t you get pocket money every month as an international student? If I remember correctly, the sum should be quite big, no?”

When Lee Han saw Kunta working, he thought that it might be the evil deeds of an aristocratic family that tricked foreign exchange students into working. Then, he placed a hand on Arno’s shoulder.

“Turn yourselves in and find the light, wolf cub. I don’t want to handcuff my disciple.”

“Is that my new nickname, Instructor? I think you misunderstand. Kunta really asked me to introduce him to a job.”

“Why?”

“He said he spent all his allowance.”

“Huh?”

“He said he used it all to buy books and food to send back home. He said he wanted to help his hometown.”

“Oh…”

Lee Han looked at Kunta with a hint of admiration.

On the other hand, the black panther guy still had an innocent expression on his face.

Sending books back to his hometown, huh? As expected, this guy only acts like an idiot, but deep down, he’s the type of guy who reads self-help books when no one else is watching.

As expected, the international student representing the Barbarians. It seemed like he sent something that would be most helpful to his race.

“It’s admirable, but you should leave the money for yourself.”

“Kunta is also reflecting. But Arno, no, the Young Master gives a lot of money! So it’s okay.”

“…Wolf Cub.”

“I never told him to call me that. He just followed what the servants do. So please don’t look at me like that…”

When Lee Han heard Kunta calling Arno Young Master, he wanted to strike Arno down the educator’s hammer, but judging from the fierce reaction of the Wolf Cub, it seemed like he was telling the truth.

“Master, aren’t you teasing him much?”

“Didn’t you see that his reaction was hilarious?”

The only one who knew that he was doing that to tease the boy whispered to him mischievously, but Lee Han just chuckled, saying that his reaction was funny.

In the meantime,

“Young Master, are you here?”

A maid walked out from behind Kunta, and Arno quickly greeted her.

“It’s been a while, Miss Elza. I’m glad you look healthy.”

“I’ve always been healthy. I’ll be healthy until your child sees their grandchild, haha.”

“…Hmm.”

Could she be a woman who has just passed the age of 100?

She must have suffered a lot when she was young, because her hair was full of gray hair, unlike her age, but that didn’t make her look weak. On the contrary, she had a very strong gaze, and she had a spirit that matched it.

A swordsman. Yes, that maid in black uniform must have been a swordsman.

“Instructor, let me introduce you. This is Miss Elza. She was my tutor and taught me manners when I was young. She is currently the head maid of the mansion, but when she was young, she was a famous female swordsman.”

“You are overpraising me, Young Master.”

Rather than overpraising, she must have been really famous in the past. After all, It was obvious at first glance that she was quite skilled.

‘If we just gave her a sword, she would be stronger than our kids?’

‘Really?’

‘Against Blackie… The result would be a close draw?’

‘Wow, she’s so skilled then. Why didn’t she become a knight then?’

‘Everyone has their own circumstances.’

As far as Lee Han remembered, there were many skilled female mercenaries. Thinking back now, they were all skilled enough to become knights. But they didn’t become knights.

Even though they could gain honor and title by becoming a knight, they must have hated the life of a knight who didn’t really have any freedom.

‘That’s probably the same for her.’

‘N-now you explained it to me like that, It makes sense.’

As soon as Lee Han roughly guessed why her name was not on the list of knights, Elza asked with a soft expression as if she had been waiting.

“Are you done talking? Then I will now take you into the mansion.”

“…In person? You must be busy as a maid, so why?”

“You are not someone else, but ‘that person’s’ guest, right? Then I should take you in myself.”

“…Ah.”

At that moment, Lee Han took out a dagger.

Back then, he just said it to the Wolf Cub as a joke that the dagger was a free pass to his house.

Turns out, it’s really a free pass…

“Instructor, if you go over there, there is a large sparring ground. Everyone fights with real swords there!”

“With real swords?”

“Yes. Everyone is bleeding, but they are laughing.”

“Hmm…”

“…Kunta, don’t introduce other people’s families in such a strange way.”

“But, It’s the truth?”

“…”

Perhaps Kunta’s words meant that they didn’t even do training roughly. After all, a sword wasn’t something you could learn by swinging it around and practicing.

“Hmm, should we let our kids fight with real swords from now on?”

“M-Master?”

“It’s just a joke.”

“No, I don’t think you’re joking.”

Lee Han continued to look around while talking to his disciples. The sword-wielding trainees, and even the maids and other servants.

They are all pretty good…

They were all quite skilled. They weren’t knights, but they were all definitely skilled, and Lee Han immediately recalled the information that the Offen family had no Knight Order or private soldiers.

Most prestigious families would have at least some sort of Knight Order, so Lee Han found it strange because they didn’t even have one…

… Maybe it’s because they find no need to create a Knight Order.

After all, if the Offen family wanted to, they could just gather the servants, trainees, and disciples. In that way, a Knight Order would be born in an instant, so there’s really no need to create one.

In addition, most of the people around the Offen family territory were said to be loyal to this family, so, the moment they made up their mind and gathered them, it wouldn’t be a simple private army, but a division-sized force.

This family, isn’t it actually on par with the great families?

It seems like they’re literally hiding their power.

While Lee Han was secretly admiring them,

Creak-!

The sound of wheels rolling on the floor could be heard.

“Do we have a guest?”

“…”

“Haha, I’m sorry. I should have greeted a guest, but I look like this.”

“…Please don’t say that, Sir. On the contrary, I’m grateful that you didn’t kick out this rude person who suddenly showed up.”

“Thank you for saying that.”

He looked like the Wolf Cub… No, to be precise, the Wolf Cub must have resembled that man, and if Arno had lived another 10 years, he would have grown up to be that handsome man.

Such a handsome man was greeting Lee Han…

…in a wheelchair.

“Father.”

“Arno, it’s been a while. I’ve always been sad that I couldn’t see you.”

“…When you say it like that, I feel like an unfilial son. You’re the one who is always busy.”

“Haha! That’s true!”

Looking at his handsome face and the way he was in a wheelchair, he seemed a bit weak, but as if to prove that his appearance wasn’t everything, the man laughed heartily.

Arno then introduced the man awkwardly, not intentionally showing off his boisterous side, but rather because that was his true nature.

“Instructor, this is my father.”

“My name is Iliad. Although I am a cripple who can’t use my legs, I am the one who leads the Offen family.”

“F-father…”

“Haha, I told you to laugh!”

“…”

…How could I laugh?

If I laugh here, I’ll definitely go to hell?

Lee Han had only known him for a minute, so he couldn’t make a hasty judgment about what kind of person this man was, but one thing was clear.

‘This guy shouldn’t joke around outside.’

Because if someone took that his joke literally, he would be socially ostracized.