Episode 169
“Iron Blood is definitely a sword technique that is a step above Wind Breaker. I am once again realizing that not all intermediate sword skills are the same.”
At Jorge’s words, the expressions of the knights surrounding him changed.
Although he looked shabby with a bandage wrapped around his forehead, no one paid attention to him.
No matter what he looked like, his influence on the old Knights of Calia was still there.
“No way, advanced swordsmanship….”
“Advanced swordsmanship refers to swordsmanship for Auror users, Denmil.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.”
“Use. Anyway, stop talking about things that don’t matter. Do your best to learn. The strength of the McLane Knights is real.”
“…yes!”
After comforting his former subordinates, Jorge headed to the training hall.
‘The person who will teach me will either be a lord or Grand Duke Logan. This is an opportunity for me too.’
But where he went with that promise, he heard a completely unexpected sound.
“Yes? DeGrom… Sir?”
Jorge had to try hard not to show his disappointment.
“Yes. In terms of the level, it should be me or your father who should teach you, but unfortunately we are a bit busy. Sir DeGrom, a senior knight, can teach you the essentials of swordsmanship, but perhaps you don’t like your teacher?”
“Oh no. I will follow your orders.”
“Okay, good. Just by attaching the iron blood sword to your body, you will definitely become stronger. Try to learn it well.”
“Yes. Thank you!”
Logan, perhaps aware of his complicated feelings, turned around immediately after saying those words.
It was so hard for Logan to leave the training ground.
As everyone expected, the knights who were temporarily appointed as priests became very upset.
“Is it possible to repeat it a thousand times today at this speed? Are you out of your mind?!”
“Two…”
“What did you say there just now?”
“I said I would work so hard that the wind would blow me away!”
Isn’t there someone who tells you to use the Iron Blood Blade a thousand times a day, which takes 30 minutes to cast once if released at a normal speed?
“Practice is like actual combat! The knight doesn’t even know that! Come on!!”
“But why do I have a wooden sword…?”
“It is sparring practice assuming an unfavorable situation.”
“Ha…”
“What?”
“…I can do this all day long.”
Gutta training under the guise of sparring training is noble.
“It is defensive training. Block it at all costs.”
“Can I just block it?”
“Yes. Absolutely. Until I stop.”
“Ssibu…”
“What?”
“…I’ll hold on until it breaks!”
There was also a knight who openly tried to hit his opponent.
Padric, who had been watching the whole scene one by one from his office in the official residence, clicked his tongue and looked back.
“Isn’t this too severe? It seems that a lot of our existing articles have accumulated.”
“They say that everyone just does what they learned from someone else.”
“What? Who is that? Who trains like that…”
“…”
Padric, who finally got an answer to his son’s eyes staring at him blatantly, looked away in shock.
“Hmm. Hmm. I wasn’t in a good situation, so I thought it was a bit provocative… Hmm, the weather is really nice.”
Logan chuckled as he watched his father avoid his gaze and looked at one particularly quiet place in the noisy gymnasium.
The humans who were making a fuss ahead were all within the expected range.
Because the scene happening there was truly unexpected.
Paaaang.
Although he did not apply force, just using the correct swordsmanship and the correct swordsmanship created an explosion that felt like the air was exploding.
The well-trained instincts of a top knight made him immediately realize that he had cast the correct iron blood sword for the first time.
Achieved in just 10 days.
This is also because of Jorge’s own understanding of swordsmanship and his high level of force.
“Good. Now I just need to practice more to get used to it.”
It was also because the teachings of this ‘master’ who nodded in a calm tone right in front of me were excellent.
In response, Jorge bowed his head to the young teacher with sincerity.
“Thank you, Lord deGrom. It’s all thanks to your teachings.”
Was that unexpected?
DeGrom, who was slightly embarrassed, immediately threw up his hand.
“No, thanks to Sir Jorge’s hard work. That’s all for today.”
Despite a sincere greeting, deGrom just says what he wants to say and turns away.
After seeing the back, Jorge suddenly blurted out the words he had been keeping in mind for the past few days.
“Why do you treat me so kindly?”
DeGrom, who stopped at those words, answered in a calm tone without even looking back.
“I just followed the orders given from above.”
“Don’t you value me Sir?”
“Is there any reason for that?”
“Not long ago, I was an enemy of the Lord.”
“There are a lot of people like that here.”
DeGrom answered calmly and was about to walk away when Jorge said something he couldn’t ignore.
“It’s a shame, but my subordinates, or former subordinates, are excited that I might be able to take on a high-ranking position in the Knights. And I, too, was wondering if that might be the case given the archduke’s tendencies that I heard through rumors.”
Only then did deGrom stop walking and look back.
The answer was different from what Jorge expected.
“…The Archduke values ability. He considers practicality rather than honor. It is a very possible story.”
“What I want to ask is your feelings.”
“…yes?”
“Are you still not dissatisfied?”
DeGrom let out a small sigh, but the answer came without delay.
“A knight only follows his lord’s orders. My feelings are not important.”
“But the human heart is…”
“I am willing to take any direction as long as it can help our knights become stronger. The Archduke will think so too. So please keep that in mind if you take on important responsibility.”
At those words, Jorge stared into deGrom’s blue eyes.
A simple answer that doesn’t really show a single bit of greed.
Is this really an answer that an average person can give?
However, after seeing his unwavering eyes, Jorge nodded with a helpless smile.
Then he shouted loud enough for everyone in the gym to hear.
“I, Jorge, pledge to respect and follow Sir deGrom as my senior knight, according to my master’s orders.”
A look of confusion appeared on deGrom’s face.
“What are you doing, Sir Jorge?”
Then, looking at DeGrom, who looked shaken, Jorge smiled.
Padric, who was watching the scene, tilted his head.
I couldn’t hear the voice, but I could see the action.
“Didn’t you say those two were the biggest problem? I think they reconciled?”
“Yes. I think so.”
“Hmm. That’s faster than I thought.”
“Yes. It looks like the future knight commander has also been decided.”
“what?”
Logan smiles at his father’s puzzled expression and tries to explain what he heard.
“Wasn’t Ronian the future knight commander?”
His father’s next words embarrassed him.
“yes?”
“What do you mean? If you were to inherit the family, what did you plan to do to your younger brother? In addition to giving him a viscount title, you were going to give him an independent territory? A younger brother with such wealth?”
“No, that’s not what I mean. Ronian has to take on the role of me and my father in an emergency. But being a knight commander. That’s a bit… The next knight commander to replace Lord Heinkel should be chosen from among them.”
Someday, if circumstances allow, we will have to play a more important role.
Logan swallows the thoughts deep in his heart.
His father looked at him with a strange expression.
“Why?”
“yes?”
“Even if Ronian is still lacking in wartime, wouldn’t it be okay in these peaceful times? As you gradually gain experience and rise to the level, your qualifications will be sufficient. Even if you are the knight commander, I won’t be able to act on your behalf when you are away. Not even.”
“Ah…”
It was only then that Logan noticed a fatal difference in perception that he had not thought about.
But before he could say anything else.
“So, it sounds to me like you’re saying that there will definitely be another uproar within a few years. Is that correct?”
“Ah. Hahaha. No, no. It’s not like that, but…”
Cold sweat rolled down my back without my knowledge.
“Rather than entrusting Ronian with important responsibilities when he is not yet an adult, I think it would be better to entrust him with various tasks and gain experience. The future that my father talks about is too far away for us.”
“Yes. That may be true. But, Logan, there will come a time when you will realize that time does not pass steadily. It feels like it goes by faster and faster as time goes by. When you get to my age, ten years will literally pass in the blink of an eye. “It seems like it has passed.”
This country may end before even half a year passes.
“So always think far ahead about the future.”
“Yes, I understand.”
To be exact, I am concentrating my thoughts on the period before and after five and a half years from now.
When Logan was only telling his true feelings like that.
My father said something strange again.
“In that sense, it seems a bit of a mistake for you to entrust the management of the security force to Ronian.”
“Yes? Why is that? What’s wrong?”
“No. The organization created by recruiting retired knights was more effective. The number of disturbances in the town was immediately reduced. The Tethron and McLane Saints. I could even hear the residents of the territory cheering. all.”
“It’s a good thing, isn’t it?”
“Yes. Except for one thing.”
Was there any room for bad news in that news?
Fadrick spoke with a slightly stern expression towards the puzzled Logan.
“Of course, it won’t be a big problem, but Ronian’s name is being talked about quite a bit among the territory residents.”
“What’s the problem…”
“It’s only been a few days, so don’t worry, but if Ronian continues to take charge of the job and builds a reputation among the territory’s residents, problems may arise in the future.”
Only then did Logan understand what his father was saying.
Of course, accepting it was a completely different matter.
“There won’t be any trouble, father.”
“Yes. Right now, your position is strong and Ronian follows you. But the future is unknown. The issue of succession may be brought up even if Ronian does not want it.”
Logan almost laughed out loud at those words.
So I missed the time to object, but my father went one step further.
“Wouldn’t it be better to have Ronian focus on training in swordsmanship instead of letting him get away with it? In a noble family, it’s enough for the second child to be a great knight. He could become a source of trouble for the family for no reason.”
The feeling of extreme disconnection felt at that moment.
‘In his past life, Ronian saved his family alone. We protected our country until the end. I was just an exiled prodigal son.’
It had been a long time since I felt the difference between my past life and my current life so sharply, so I let out a sigh of disappointment.
“Father. I plan to leave this territory to Ronian.”
“what?! What kind of nonsense is that?”
“It’s just as you heard. We may not know it right now, but one day Ronian will lead the McLane territory.”
“What nonsense is that?!”
Padric shouted, but Logan’s expression was stern.
“It makes sense. He deserves it too.”
“What achievements have you done for the territory so far…” ”
I will aim for something bigger.”
“…What?”
“I can’t tell you yet, but that’s all I know. You can stay. So it’s actually a good thing for him to build up a reputation.”
“You can’t believe that’s why during the meeting…”
“Yes. I was glad that Ronian expressed his opinion about the territory and resolved it.”
“No, but that’s not true. I can’t understand it!”
“You’ll understand. Just like before.”
“What on earth is this guy thinking…”
Padric trailed off.
Logan just smiled at his father. .
‘Father…’
Ronian’s hand, which was about to knock on the door, became stiff as if frozen. He
was secretly approaching the office with a cat’s walk to boast about his achievements so far.
He tried to surprise his brother by appearing suddenly, even hiding his force. That’s all.
I overheard a conversation I shouldn’t have heard.
‘Are you saying I’m getting in the way of my brother’s future?’
It’s something I’ve never thought about before.
The fist that was about to knock on the door suddenly lost strength.
Ronian McLane walked back the way he came with a gloomy expression and quietly
disappeared. As if nothing had happened.
