5 – Knight’s Training Camp
The instructor went up to the podium at the parade ground and sat down.
“Today’s training is training in formation and movement. As we have learned, through the sound of drums and flag signals, we can move quickly and accurately.”
After the instructor finished speaking, the instructors shouted at the trainees and beat the drums.
Dung! – – Doong!- –
A low, heavy drum beat sounded. The trainees started walking in the same direction. Every time the drum sounded and the instructor’s flag waved in front, they ran, stopped, merged, and moved through each other. Instructors also kept a certain distance and checked the evaluation items.
Dust rose every time the signal changed. The trainees moved as if they were one body. It was magnificent to see 500 people performing exactly the same movements.
After a while, the instructors brought the horses and the trainees got on the horses one by one.
His left foot was thrust into the stirrup. Holding onto the reins, I sprinted hard with my left foot and rode on. I could feel the horse’s body temperature between my thighs. Quietly stroking the horse’s mane, he waited for the signal.
Dung! – Dung! – Dung!
Drums speeded up and the flags that had been swinging slowly fluttered violently. There was so much dust that it was incomparable to what it was before. The horses advanced like paint spreading on water.
It’s been a while since I rode a horse and it felt like my heart was breaking open. Feeling the wind brushing my cheeks, I moved the reins according to the signal.
After the formation training, the trainees were divided into two groups according to the instructor’s instructions. The commander-in-chief walked through the crowd and said,
“From now on, we will engage in group sparring. We will distribute wooden swords and armor. Armor treated with magic will change color when impact is accumulated. Team 1 should wear red armor, and team 2 should wear blue armor. Those who take too much and their armor turns black should leave the sparring venue. Also, it is forbidden to put mana on a wooden sword.”
I was supplied with magic-treated armor and a blunt-edged wooden sword distributed by the instructor. Although it was only a wooden sword for sparring made of wood, it was strong because it was treated with magic. The Instructor General opened his mouth as he turned his head from side to side as if observing us.
“Magicians and priests are on standby, so go rampage to your heart’s content. Think of it as a real battle, not sparring. Then let’s begin!”
After his shouting, the red armored group and the blue armored group collided slowly. The trainees approached the other team and brandished wooden swords.
As if I had been waiting for this moment, a man wearing a shield-shaped badge approached me. The beard grown like a bandit was impressive.
“To be able to legally beat an arrogant aristocrat like you… Kek”
Pug!
Before he could finish his words, my body lunged forward and swung the sword at my throat. The man hit by the uvula gasped in pain and collapsed holding his neck. When the color of the armor changes, the magician puts a shield on it and the priest comes and heals it.
That’s why I aimed for the neck that the armor didn’t protect. I wrapped my hands around his neck, as if it hurt, and slammed the wooden sword down on the fallen hand. He coughed up his blood as if he were coughing. I must have struck it down two or three times, and people wearing the same badge came running. Before I knew it, I grabbed a blood-soaked wooden sword and swung it at them.
Paang- Paang-
Every time a wooden sword was driven into their faces, the sound of leather bursting could be heard. Another came and supported the bloody, agonizing bandit’s beard and moved it in the direction of the cleric. Since I hadn’t hit him yet, I threw my sword at the person who supported me.
My father was a famous knight in the area. Following my father, I naturally swung my sword aiming to become a knight. Hearing that he had some talent, he went up to Expert and came to the knight training center of his dreams. It is usually said that fellow knights at the training center are lifelong friends. This is because they are the last trainees before being appointed knights, so everyone has a lot of time in their hearts, and they become close while training together for four years.
Life at the training center was fun, as I heard from my father and other drivers. Training was fun and talking to the people I met here was fun. Both nobles and commoners became closer as they talked about swords.
Group sparring started and I was put on the blue armor. Looking at the red armored camp, I saw Jean Cyr, who lives in the same tent, looking at me and waving his hand. Seeing him grinning like an idiot made me laugh too.
The atmosphere of the others wasn’t bad either. It reminded me of the pillow fights I used to have with my village friends when I was young. While laughing and holding swords with Jangsire, I saw Kevin, who lived in the same province and was familiar with him, running away with a sword. He, who was usually dissatisfied with the privileges of the aristocrats, was running towards Robert, a famous fellow among his classmates, as expected.
“To be able to legally beat an arrogant aristocrat like you… Kek”
Kevin, who was screaming and running, stopped talking and collapsed. Because he fell so suddenly, he thought he had fallen, so he and Jangsir moved to Kevin’s side to make fun of him.
The collapsed Kevin was coughing up blood, covering his neck with both hands.
Puck- Puck-
Above it, Robert was striking down with a wooden sword while smiling brightly.
“……”
“…..”
“Let’s go somewhere else.”
“…..”
He said while pulling Jangsir’s forearm as he stared blankly at the scene.
“Let’s go quickly. I don’t have time to stare blankly, you idiot. You have red armor and he has blue armor. Do you want to be beaten like that too?”
As I moved along with the brisk Jeansir, I glanced at Robert. Even if they are at the same sword expert beginner level, the gap is divided according to talent and skill. However, it is impossible in common sense to trample the majority like that. The way he wielded his sword smoothly as if dancing was graceful.
Seeing him smiling wide at the sight of blood, he looked like a real madman. Today, for the first time, Eric knew that his wooden sword could be stained with red blood.
How many people did I defeat who approached me? No one came further.
I approached the guy who first approached me. Then he kicked the hand that was still holding his neck.
“Ouch!”
“Hands off.”
“Ah, ah, ah! Now, I was wrong…”
“If you don’t close it quickly, the eyeballs are next.”
He grabbed his neck and wriggled, then hurriedly removed his hand from his neck. I stared at his terrified expression and raised his wooden sword again.
“Stop it.”
As I turned my head, Jang Han approached me with an honest look.
“I said he has a familiar face, so he’s Alberga’s second son. I heard that he was a lover, but now that I see him, he’s crazy. Don’t bully the weak and mix swords with me.”
Looking at him, I knew him. I’ve seen it a few times at an exchange meeting where children of marquis families gather. I remember that he was from a prestigious knight family.
A bloodstained wooden sword was fired at him. The wooden sword that was cutting through the wind was blocked by Janghan’s sword. However, his body shook as if he could not easily block it.
Whiik-
At the same time, the tip of my wooden sword swayed like a snake. Like the others, I was hit hard in the face with a wooden sword, but Jang Han rather swung the sword at me. He took a step back to avoid the approaching wooden sword, creating great wind pressure. Zhang Han said, wiping the blood from his nose.
“It’s amazing skill. It shouldn’t have been this strong originally… Could it have something to do with the brutality you’re seeing now?”
I quickly raised my wooden sword and struck him as he did not answer and was wary. Zhang Han barely missed the wooden sword, but his arms were already lifted into the air. He swung a wooden sword at him who was full of gaps.
Zhang Han survived the first blow, but was unable to withstand the second and collapsed. Excited, I wiped off the blood on the wooden sword and returned the wooden sword and armor. My blue armor was stained red with blood.
I glanced back at those who had fallen on the parade ground. Before I knew it, I could see the priests rushing to treat him urgently. Group Dalian was the last schedule for the day, so I entered the dorm. The hardened blood was removed before I knew it with warm water. It’s been a while since I saw enough blood, so I hummed.
After drying my hair, I started studying tactics at the desk in the study room. Square square. The sound of a fountain pen scribbling on paper tickled my ears. What was urgent right now was a test of strategy among tactics. It consists of strategies 1, 2, and 3, and there is an exam every two months, so I had to pass the exam next week.
First of all, the first thing I did was to solve all the problems in Strategy 1. In fact, there is a prejudice that knights do not use their brains often, and it seems easy because it is 1 out of strategy 1, 2, 3, but unexpectedly, there are many contents that scholars find difficult. For the past week, I have reduced my sleep and what I have mainly done is to see the contents of the strategy and solve the problem.
‘Were the problems easy in the past?’
As I started studying, the strange problems were easily solved. I’m looking at the concepts because I’m anxious, but it was solved smoothly without any particular blockage or unknown problems. I would have been in a good mood if it wasn’t for the kid who was staring at me with a burden right now.
“Hey.”
“Yes?”
“Stop staring.”
“Okay!”
He replied loudly. The guy who was staring at me was Clios, the eldest son of Count Staonfenberg.