60.
The day after returning to Eizel Territory.
Rohan, who had fallen into a deep sleep as if fainting from exhaustion, opened his eyes to the sunlight filtering through the curtains.
Perhaps due to having slept early, the fear of waking up was veiled by drowsiness.
Unlike the day before, where he could forget everything and sleep soundly in the joy of returning to his sanctuary, upon waking up, a certain uneasiness lingered in his heart.
While he slept with outstretched legs, the families of the fallen soldiers likely spent the night in tears.
Though Rohan had done nothing wrong, a strange sense of guilt enveloped him nonetheless.
Moreover, today Rohan had to visit one of the many bereaved families personally.
The sole memento of his deceased comrade Kenneth, who ultimately couldn’t escape death in the final battle.
The gilded ring that Kenneth always wore was left in Rohan’s room.
He could have asked another soldier to do it, but he had kept the item to personally deliver it, as he wanted to handle his comrade’s memento himself.
As Rohan, with a stern expression, handed over the memento, Kenneth’s ailing mother and young sister looked on with anxious expressions.
As Rohan hesitated and handed over the memento, they collapsed, pouring out tears as if crumbling.
In the face of parents grieving their child’s death, Rohan couldn’t bring himself to mention phrases like ‘died an honorable death’ or ‘fulfilled his duty as a soldier.’
He simply handed over the personal belongings he had prepared as a gesture of condolence and left the place with a remorseful expression.
Though life may be fleeting, a child to parents seemed irreplaceable.
‘Except for my father.’
From Kenneth’s house, where shadows seemed to follow him, Rohan’s face bore a deep melancholy by the time he returned to the castle.
Even without wielding a sword, Rohan’s physical abilities, honed to a high level, easily surpassed those of an average person, allowing him to distinctly hear the cries coming from various places in the castle.
‘…Hearing everything isn’t always a good thing.’
Still feeling as though their cries lingered in his ears, Rohan suddenly recalled a thought he had once had.
Teaching soldiers martial arts that he had mastered to those without a master.
Back then, it was just a passing thought, but now, after witnessing many soldiers perish needlessly, it had become a serious matter of contemplation.
Since meeting Kenneth’s family, Rohan had pondered over this whenever he had spare time during his duties.
While it wouldn’t be easy to get permission to teach swordsmanship, he didn’t want to voice his opinion without any consideration, solely relying on the viscount’s judgment.
The advantages were clear.
The value of ancient warrior swordsmanship or barbarian warrior sword techniques far surpassed the basic swordsmanship taught to soldiers.
Starting from the grade judged by the status window, which was two levels higher, the pinnacle reachable by an ordinary person learning it was completely different.
However, there were also disadvantages.
Both R-grade skills Rohan possessed didn’t align at all with the Eizel family’s swordsmanship.
Unlike the well-balanced Eizel swordsmanship, which focused entirely on attack, it seemed like it wouldn’t harmonize with the swordsmanship he was accustomed to.
The complexity of the movements made it difficult to master compared to basic swordsmanship, which couldn’t be ignored.
It was unclear if teaching recklessly was a wise thing to do.
After learning swordsmanship, one might quit being a soldier and venture onto a different path, or worse, commit acts of wrongdoing.
Various minor issues kept appearing and disappearing in Rohan’s mind.
In an era where knowledge was highly valued, especially teaching a valuable martial art like this required careful consideration.
As time passed amidst his contemplation, Rohan finally knocked on the door of the study.
Entering the study with a slight sense of tension, Rohan found the Viscount, who greeted him with his usual subtle smile.
At the Viscount’s urging to speak up, Rohan opened his mouth.
“By any chance, do you remember the swordsmanship I was practicing when I first became your disciple?”
In response to Rohan’s question, the Viscount briefly stroked his chin before nodding.
“Ah, I remember. You mentioned something about carving on a stone like it was a piece?”
“Yes, that’s correct. Thanks to that, I somewhat realized the essence of Ora.”
“Hmm… I see. But why suddenly bring up that swordsmanship?”
“…I would like to teach that swordsmanship to the soldiers.”
Taken aback by the unexpected proposal, the Viscount’s eyes widened.
“What? Even if it’s outdated, isn’t it a swordsmanship that can awaken Ora? Teaching that to the soldiers? Are you serious?”
In response to the Viscount’s astonishment, Rohan slowly nodded his head.
“Yes, I’ve thought about it a lot… I want to do it.”
With the sudden proposal, a faint furrow appeared between the Viscount’s brows.
Having been momentarily lost in thought, the Viscount eventually spoke to Rohan.
“Rohan, I truly appreciate your determination. But deciding to teach a new swordsmanship is not something to be taken lightly. And in truth, after experiencing many things, you may not even remember the sword you wielded back then. If you really have made up your mind, can you demonstrate the swordsmanship once again?”
Rohan readily agreed to the Viscount’s proposal.
After all, it was a technique he had decided to pass down to the soldiers.
There was no reason to hide it anymore.
“Come to think of it, there was one more thing I needed to share.”
Standing in the training ground where he had sparred with Sophia, Rohan remembered that he had not yet taught the Viscount a new sword technique.
Lost in contemplation about swordsmanship, he had been unable to think of anything else.
Unable to bring up a different topic at the training ground, Rohan decided to focus his efforts on demonstrating the swordsmanship for now.
Since he didn’t need a partner, Rohan drew his sword from his waist.
Rohan had decided to teach the ancient warrior’s swordsmanship to the soldiers.
As an ancient swordsmanship, it retained a roughness in various aspects, but with no separate technique, as long as even ignorant soldiers trained diligently, they could accumulate Ora in their bodies, a significant advantage.
Although he briefly considered the barbarian’s sword technique, Rohan, who had mastered both skills, believed that the ancient warrior’s swordsmanship would be more beneficial for the soldiers’ growth.
‘Well, if needed, I can always teach it later.’
As Rohan’s sword moved, a rugged yet instinctive swordplay unfolded on the training ground.
The sparse feints were nothing more than embellishments, with each attack targeting the opponent’s vital points, displaying a lively swordsmanship.
At first glance, the movements seemed no different from the slashing of third-rate mercenaries, but when combined with the breath that harmonized with the swordsmanship, the story changed.
The rhythmic breath flowing from Rohan’s mouth gradually disrupted in sync with the sword’s movements, eventually forming perfect synchronization of movements and breath, slowly drawing in mana from the surroundings.
As Rohan’s sword swung vigorously, mana flowed faster into his body, creating a flow.
Without deliberately raising the accumulated Ora, with each repetition, a faint Ora naturally emerged from the tip of Rohan’s sword.
It was truly a primitive manifestation of Ora, but the Viscount couldn’t help but be amazed.
“Ha…”
In this era, the martial arts used by an unknown warrior who had already faced real battles possessed a rugged beauty of its own.
As Ora’s sword sliced through the air, the repetitive movements came to a halt.
Meanwhile, the Viscount was deep in thought.
“It’s too excellent to reject. However, its nature is completely different from our family’s martial arts… Moreover, teaching it to all soldiers just because they are soldiers doesn’t seem like a good idea.”
While the Viscount was lost in thought, Rohan silently stood, waiting for his response.
Noticing Rohan had finished his demonstration while he was lost in thought, the Viscount belatedly put on a composed expression.
“You’ve truly worked hard. It may be old, but it’s truly excellent martial arts. Perhaps even too much for the soldiers. Hence, it’s even more of a dilemma.”
In response to the Viscount’s pondering words, Rohan began to lay out the method he had been contemplating for days.
“Master, are you thinking of recruiting more soldiers?”
“Um… yes, that might be necessary. It won’t be easy… but why suddenly ask about that?”
“Using the martial arts I’m demonstrating now to attract people, how about that?”
“What…?”
“Instead of using powerful martial arts as bait, attach difficult conditions. It will sift out the gems.”
“Hmm… how do you mean?”
“Young men in rural areas all have a great longing for strength. If we were to offer to teach them decent martial arts someday, they would flock like clouds.”
“That’s true. Since they never had the chance to wield a sword.”
“Select the promising ones and entrust the assessments to the sergeants. Pick out the soldiers who achieve outstanding results to teach them martial arts. Of course, if they accept a long service period themselves.”
“Hmm, not a bad idea. While I may not know much else, gathering soldiers seems feasible.”
“Yes, especially since our forces are currently lacking. Even the existing soldiers would likely accept an extension of their service period if offered.”
At Rohan’s words, the Viscount slowly nodded.
To the Viscount, it was not a bad proposal.
“But, wouldn’t the martial arts eventually leak if we proceed like that?”
The martial arts of this era bore similarities to the corporate secrets of the 21st century Earth.
Being a crucial element in maintaining the family’s legacy, it should never be left to fall into the hands of others.
Despite the Viscount’s worried inquiry, Rohan replied in a calm voice.
“For now, focus on teaching trustworthy soldiers, and extend the service period of those who learn martial arts. Even those who complete their service period can be given other tasks to keep them close. Of course, it may eventually leak over time, but by then, it shouldn’t pose much of a problem.”
“No problem, you say? Why is that?”
“Initially, compared to the martial arts of Izell, ours is lacking, and by then, our domain’s influence will have grown significantly. Ah, I might even develop better martial arts.”
Impressed by Rohan’s unexpected confidence in his response, the Viscount’s eyes widened.
Having always been humble in front of the Viscount, Rohan’s display of unexpected boldness was a surprise.
Yet, the Viscount felt no discomfort at all.
Knowing Rohan’s skills, he felt that this confidence was fitting for him.
“Yes, you’re right. There’s no need to shrink back too much. After facing great battles, you’ve matured further, Rohan.”
At the Viscount’s approving words, where a sense of pride could be detected, a flustered Rohan awkwardly scratched the back of his head.
Following the battle with the dark sorcerer, there remained three knights in Izell, including the Viscount.
With two of them having made up their minds, there was virtually no doubt about the succession of martial arts.
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Of course, while detailed matters might require further discussion, the overall framework was unlikely to change.
In the end, Rohan’s intentions were accepted by the Viscount.
After discussing with the Viscount, Rohan’s daily life became busier.
In addition to the existing tasks such as consistent training, meetings with the Viscount and Lou were added to his schedule.
Initially, it was merely a discussion about swordsmanship training and recruiting new soldiers, but even after reaching an agreement on both matters, the Viscount’s invitations continued.
Now, not only military strength but also comprehensive issues regarding territory management were being brought up.
Furthermore, as the meetings grew in size, even some nobles were starting to attend.
‘How did it end up like this?’
Rohan murmured to himself as he stood in front of the Viscount’s study once again today.
Unaware to Rohan, he played a significant role in how things turned out this way.
Despite spending a considerable amount of time together, their relationship had been one-sided so far.
The Viscount, who was both an elder and a mentor, imparted teachings to Rohan.
Because of this, the Viscount rarely had the opportunity to listen to Rohan’s opinions or thoughts.
However, through discussions on swordsmanship training, the Viscount recognized the intellectual prowess Rohan had acquired through his higher education in a previous life.
After becoming the Viscount’s disciple, Rohan’s quick acquisition of knowledge, combined with a mind not easily found, even with his young age of sixteen and his focus on physical training, intrigued the Viscount.
Though the Viscount had cultivated his own education as a noble, in the humble territory of Ezel, there were few individuals with whom he could share insights.
Given the circumstances, it was only natural for the Viscount to increase his time spent conversing with Rohan.
Of course, Rohan, unaware of these intricacies, simply wondered when the Viscount’s invitations would cease as he stepped into the study.
Not long after Rohan entered the study, all the regular members were present.
Although the atmosphere had been relaxed lately, today felt different.
The Viscount, with a more serious expression than usual, brought up a fitting topic.