Episode 168
“Pant. Pant.”
“Crazy…”
“This is madness.”
Amidst the trainees, groans of agony emerged.
At the training ground, when the dawn jog that started around the large MacLaine Town for ten laps took place, everyone seemed to have some breath to spare.
But when it came to horseback riding training, which was so daunting just from the name – carrying one’s own weight while riding – over half of the knights let out strained screams.
And when it was time to start rock climbing with boulders strapped to them, almost every knight began to groan.
‘Are they seriously considering cutting us down?’
That thought crossed my mind momentarily.Even Horhe, a top-tier knight who had focused solely on swordsmanship for the past decade or so, was bathed in sweat by this brutal physical training.
Still, he silently took part in it.
Partly because he was determined to settle down in MacLaine.
“Commander, sir. Could you please step in and say something…”
“Quiet, Denmil. Keep your eyes front. What am I to say in this situation?”
“Urgh. Though it’s tough…”
Despite their roles as instructors, the MacLaine knights themselves were undergoing the same training.
They were not simply giving orders; they too participated. How could they consider giving up first?
Above all, even the regular knights were maintaining a calm expression throughout this hellish training.
“This is it, the usual training for the MacLaine Knights Order. This insane training. No wonder they’re strong.”
Hearing that, Denmil’s complaints simmered down, and other knights who were eavesdropping nodded in agreement.
The evaluation of MacLaine immediately after the civil war had been over had mostly been about rumors surrounding Logan MacLaine and their weapons.
But the knights who faced them directly on the battlefield added another reason:
– The MacLaine knights are stronger than other knights of the same level. They easily overpower those of the same caliber and can trouble even higher-ranked knights.
Today, Horhe seemed to have glimpsed the source of that strength.
Unknown to them, their conversation had brought a smile to Logan, who was far ahead and had heard their voices.
Several hours later…
“Alright everyone, rest!”
“Woohoo! We survived!”
“Shh, quiet. It’s deafening.”
The training ended abruptly as more than ten regular knights fell behind, unable to cope with the unexpected intensity.
‘Brutal…’
It was a training session that made Horhe cluck his tongue.
Especially after they finished with the cliffside and were headed back to the training ground.
It was then, with that devilish final training, carrying the horses back, that took everyone by surprise.
Just when they thought they could ride back feeling reassured, they took a hit from behind.
Most of the stragglers had fallen there.
“These knights… Damn it. All they do is, huh, carry these… How is this reasonable?”
“There must be a reason behind it.”
“Indeed. To torment us.”
When everyone was collapsing from exhaustion, never having experienced such intense training in their lives.
“From now on, I will impart to you the Iron Blood Sword, a symbol of the MacLaine Knights Order. It is one of the intermediate sword techniques we have, and I dare say it is amongst the best of them. Stand up in your places!”
“Oof!”
“Intermediate sword technique?”
A mix of groans and questions filled the air.
“One instructor for every two trainees, meaning one of the existing MacLaine knights will teach a pair. Those who are learning should regard their teachers with respect, if only during the learning period. And those teachers, barring any serious issues, will become the senior knights for their temporary apprentices, taking on the responsibility of imparting MacLaine’s culture.”
The MacLaine knights’ faces brightened.
‘The Duke must truly be favoring us.’
However, the newly recruited knights’ faces turned pale.
They thought the past several days of kind treatment were merely groundwork laid for this torturous training.
‘Cruel bastards.’
And now to wield a sword in training? To treat them like teachers?
‘I might actually die.’
The fallen knights’ gazes all turned in one direction.
Feeling their stares, Horhe sighed softly and then got up.
He, too, thought this was a bit much.
Though for other reasons.
“Duke. I apologize, but the knights from the Kalia Order are already proficient in an intermediate technique named Wind Breaker. To learn something new at this point…”
“Do you not wish to learn?”
“That’s not it, but…”
“Sir Horhe. How about you give it a try yourself?”
Grin.
Overwhelmed by Logan’s confident words and the amusement in his red eyes, Horhe felt a chill run down his spine.
“I stick to Iron Blood Sword. But feel free to use all the techniques at your disposal.”
That one confident statement didn’t matter to him.
Horhe very well knew that Logan was stronger than him.
But still.
Thud.
“Draw your sword. Oh, you can use your beloved sword.”
“Excuse me?”
Horhe’s pride was struck when Logan, picking up a wooden sword, made that remark.
“My beloved sword is a class 3 artifact…”
“It doesn’t matter. Show me everything you’ve got.”
“…”
Horhe’s face hardened with anger and pride.
‘Even with those swords and artifacts, you could fight against supers. But with a wooden sword? Against me? Horhe?’
A surge of anger arose.
“If that’s what you desire…”
Swoosh.
“As you command.”
His beloved sword, Fortitudo, burst into a red hue at its tip.
And yet…
“Ranking comes down to…”
Whack!
“Understanding one’s place is of the utmost importance for a knight.”
Thump!
“What, with this level of swordsmanship?!”
Thud!
“Cough, cough…”
Horhe was struck down with a ferocious blow, one after another, without landing a single hit on his peer, and ultimately crumpled to the ground.
The onlookers, with eyes twice their normal size, watched the pitiful figure of Horhe churn on the ground.
The very person in question, instead of feeling embarrassed, was filled only with amazement as he looked toward Logan.
Cough.
“How can there be such a gap? Could it be…?”
“Swordsmanship makes all the difference.”
Understanding the unspoken words, Logan smirked and tossed the wooden sword aside.
It landed squarely on Horhe’s forehead.
Whack.
“Argh…”
“Anyone else who thinks they know a useful intermediate sword technique?”
With a high-tier knight unconscious, blood dripping from his brow, no one dared raise a hand.
* * * The first day of sword training ended with everyone practicing basic positions and memorizing the forms.
That temporary disciple policy had not been previously disclosed to the MacLaine knights, so they needed to organize who would be teaching whom.
To facilitate that, Logan called the leaders of the existing knight orders and made a shocking statement.
“Do as you see fit.”
“Pardon?!”
“You heard me. Train them as hard as you like until you are satisfied, just don’t kill them or maim them.”
“My lord…”
The baffled look from Victor at his side and even the odd stare from Eillen, indicated that Logan was serious, despite the knights’ apparent hesitation.
“Not long ago, these were enemies we fought with our lives on the line. Seeing them must be unpleasant, to say the least. It’s natural to feel uneasy, maybe even as though your position has been snatched away. So I’m offering a chance to clear those feelings.”
The offer was tempting.
But Digrom’s face grew stern when he heard it.
‘Trying to prevent hazing, and now the Duke is encouraging it?’
He knew that if he took these words as they were, he’d be a fool.
If knights actually started quitting because of it…
“…Would that be acceptable?”
But was Henderson, the fool with a title, really saying this?
Digrom’s head snapped in his direction.
Fortunately, it seemed he wasn’t the only one thinking this, as everyone was gazing at Henderson, wide-eyed.
‘Is he still brainless even with his title…’
But,
“Of course. I don’t intend to accept anyone who falls out to be in our knights’ order. So go ahead, train them hard until you’re satisfied.”
The Duke endorsed him.
‘It’s serious.’
The moment everyone realized that, the atmosphere shifted dramatically.
How cautious they had been, fearing the words “hazing” or “deliberate slowdown” they had suffered countless times.
And now the Duke confirmed he values the existing knights.
Their instincts, sharpened by a lifetime of torment, erupted in sadistic glee.
“We’ll make sure they remember every lesson in their bones!”
Starting with Henderson’s vigorous voice.
“They’ll be training even in their dreams!”
“My goal is to make both scumbags run away!”
“I’ll make them unable to even meet my eyes again!”
With childish remarks tossed back and forth, Digrom clicked his tongue.
‘So childish…’
Yet, here he was, ready to pour a bit of extreme sentiment to temper his comrades’ enthusiasm.
“My lord. Is… is it responsible if the student I’m responsible for commits suicide…?”
He truly intended to cool their heated spirits, but perhaps it was too much as the atmosphere suddenly turned icy.
‘Did I go too far…?’
“…Why? What’s with that look? Am I the only garbage here?!”
Creeped out as if they were looking at something repugnant, his comrades turned away.
To top it off,
“7th squad leader, Sir Digrom. Follow me.”
It seemed he had also offended his lord.
Digrom had no choice but to solemnly trail behind Logan like a cow to the slaughterhouse.
But then,
The chilling Duke changed his tone to something unexpectedly warm.
“That’s right, Sir Digrom Sheffield. How do you like the new mansion you’ve received?”
‘Don’t let your guard down here.’
Digrom tensed and promptly replied,
“Yes! Thanks to your consideration, it’s been a wonderful home.”
“Well, that’s good to hear. But it seems your heart is a bit troubled. Have you been holding on to that much resentment?”
As expected,
“It was just a what-if question, my lord. I definitely have no intention of causing any harm to my house!”
Digrom hastily blurted out his prepared defense.
“Yes, yes, I trust you. It was surely just a joke.”
“Indeed!”
Relieved the Duke understood, he breathed a sigh of relief.
Smirk.
“You don’t actually think I called you here over that. The truth is, I should have arranged this meeting much sooner…”
The Duke continued with a cryptic look in his eyes.
“You’ve reached an advanced level from the last war, haven’t you?”
“Yes, sir. I was fortunate.”
“Sorry, but I must admit I was surprised. I assumed if anyone would reach an advanced level first, it would be the captains of squads 1 to 4.”
Ronian, Victor, Eillen. The three young prodigies and Henderson, who had enrolled at the same time as Digrom.
To Digrom, they were all incredibly talented individuals.
The three young geniuses caught up to his 15 years of training in just a few, and Henderson had always been one step ahead.
“It’s not true, sir. Even I thought the same.”
It was sincere. Only after facing life-threatening situations one after another on the battlefield did he overcome them by sheer luck and achieve a higher level. He thought those talented ones would soon reach the advanced level on their own without war experiences or intermediate sword techniques.
Moreover, the captains of squads 1-3 were, considering their age, prodigies with even more potential than their young lord who had reached the advanced level at a young age without much war experience.
‘I’ll probably be surpassed in no time.’
That was why Digrom had such a humble view of his own achievements.
But the Duke seemed to think differently.
“And yet, the first to reach that level was you. You can hold your head high. Plus, you have good standing among your peers; they all consider you the next head of the knights’ order.”
“….You flatter me, sir.”
“So, I want to ask you something.”
“Yes, Duke?”
“What do you think of Sir Horhe?”
“…”
Digrom was suddenly at a loss for words at Logan’s abrupt question.
“…What do you mean, sir?”
“Who do you think should become the captain between you and Sir Horhe?”
So it was true…
Stunned by the direct question, Digrom spoke his usual thoughts.
“I believe it’s best for a knights’ order to be led by the most skilled individual.”
“So a newly transferred Horhe should be the head?”
“Yes. That’s the proper way.”
“Hmm… But do you think the other knights would accept that?”
“With today’s decision, most should be content.”
“No, not really. Intellectually, maybe, but emotions are not so easily swayed.”
What does he expect me to do?
As confusion set in for Digrom,
“I’m offering you an opportunity to choose.”
“…Excuse me?”
The words that followed made his eyes widen in disbelief.
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