Chapter 10: The Invitation
Chapter 10: The Invitation
Centuries ago, the Fero Empire was still intact, and the current Kingdom of Gando was merely a ducal territory.
In the records, it was an era of exceptional individuals.
Martial arts flourished, giving rise to numerous legends.
Among them was a swordsman named Master Meyer, revered as the Sword Sage, whose swordplay was unparalleled.
Master Meyer was the first to establish the eight directions of longsword cuts, allowing practitioners to maintain a continuous transition between different stances when attacking from any direction.
In other words, they could effortlessly switch between offensive and defensive maneuvers at will.
This was an unprecedented achievement.
The eight directions seemed simple, but when combined, they offered endless variations, leading to the development of various sword techniques.
The Gale Sword Technique belonged to this lineage.
Grip the sword! (One-handed or two-handed, regular or reverse grip)
Stance! (Defensive posture)
Slash! (Offensive move)
And finally, the battle technique that could only be executed by mastering the swordplay!
Karl's forehead glistened with sweat, his body exuded heat, and the broadsword in his hand seemed to swirl around him like a whirlwind.
His fierce sword stance could pulverize anything within reach.
"Hya!"
"Ha!"
Unlike in that mysterious place, where he had absolute rationality and perfect control, practicing swordplay in the real world was much more challenging.
Fortunately, his previous experience remained, and although his body's movements felt unfamiliar, with more practice, he could replicate his skills.
"Swoosh!"
Battle Technique—Gale Slash!
Three afterimages appeared out of thin air, crisscrossing with each strike.
"Huff..."
Karl halted his movements, his face beaming with excitement.
"First, master the swordplay there, and while your body still remembers, practice in reality."
"The experience and memory are still there, and even if I can't reach the same level, it will still be twice as effective."
At a normal pace, even if he became a knight attendant, it would take him more than a month to achieve the swordplay proficiency he had now.
Or even longer.
But now,
In just a few days, he could consistently perform the technique with three afterimages, rivaling many knight attendants.
"It's not just that!"
Karl clenched his fist, feeling the strength in his body, and had an urge to punch through a wall.
"Because I can perfectly control my body, taking the secret potion there allows for maximum absorption of its power."
"Practicing the Breath Technique is also more effective."
"If I took the potion here, I might not even be able to stabilize at the knight attendant level yet."
With the help of that mysterious place, in just a few days, Karl had improved both his physical abilities and swordplay skills to the level of a knight attendant.
Moreover,
His strength was still rapidly increasing.
If he could execute the Gale Slash with four afterimages, he would be formidable even among knight attendants.
When things were going well, even the end of a holiday couldn't dampen Karl's spirits as he prepared to return to work.
The red and white uniform he wore was slightly oversized, but it couldn't hide his exuberant vitality.
He adjusted his attire in front of the mirror; the emblem of the Bergman Clan, a three-leaf clover, stood out on his collar.
Every noble family had its unique emblem.
The Bergman Clan's emblem was the common three-leaf clover.
Some said it was chosen because it symbolized resilience and a tenacious will to live.
In truth, it was simply because Karl's grandfather was uneducated and chose it out of laziness.
In reality, a genuine noble emblem should include elements like feathers, crowns, shields, and mottoes...
"I'm just a small baron without my own territory, so let's not be too particular about it."
Shaking his head, Karl stepped out the door.
The Patrol Office.
"Baron Karl!"
"Hello!"
"Baron, you're here."
"Mhm."
"..."
It was rare for someone of common birth to work at the Patrol Office, but nobles were still a minority.
News of Karl inheriting his father's title had spread, and greetings from colleagues had become much warmer.
"Karl!"
"Chief Dena!"
Karl stopped in front of the spirited female officer.
"At the end of the month, Lord Rector is hosting a coming-of-age ceremony for his son at his estate outside the city and has invited all the nobles to attend." Dena handed him an exquisite invitation.
"My cousin Martha will be there too."
"Hmm?" Karl furrowed his brows.
"Chief, I really have no plans to marry anytime soon."
"Just give it a chance; it won't take up much of your time." Dena's expression remained unchanged. "Unless you plan to refuse an invitation from a lord?"
"This..." Karl sighed and took the invitation.
"Alright!"
"Don't look so put out." Dena twirled her beautifully crafted cane and gently tapped it towards him. "With Martha's family wealth, she could easily match a baron without a territory."
"Yes."
Karl nodded.
He couldn't deny that.
After bidding farewell to Dena, a plump figure rushed over and embraced him tightly.
"Karl, you're finally back! You don't know how bored I've been without you!"
"Kerry!"
Karl laughed, "You've put on some weight since I last saw you."
"Hehe..." Kerry stepped back, scratching his head. "Not much, though."
Kerry's father was also a baron, but unlike Karl, he had several siblings, and his older brother was the designated heir.
Having no claim to the title or inheritance, Kerry's life as an inspector remained frugal despite his noble status.
The two entered the inspection hall, naturally gravitating towards each other as they were both less favored by others.
"Let's go!" Kerry waved. "We'll grab a drink."
The work of an inspector was relatively easy; they only needed to sign in daily and then they could leave under the pretext of patrols.
Of course, they had to be present for their shifts every few days.
"Have you heard?" Kerry whispered as they walked. "It's been decided. The campaign against Koburg will now be led by Duke Saxony, and they're recruiting soldiers again."
Each marquis and lord had their own duke they followed. With the death of Duke Gambises, his nobles were naturally reluctant to serve under a new leader.
"With insufficient soldiers, they'll definitely recruit again."
"Hmm."
Karl had anticipated this and asked, "Do you think they'll draft us?"
"Probably not." Kerry shook his head. "Even if they recruit from Signo City, they won't draft inspectors. Who would maintain order then?"
"True."
Karl felt slightly relieved.
Although inspectors were often seen as pretenders, it wouldn't be good to have none at all.
"But did Duke Gambises really die of illness? He's only in his fifties, which is the prime age for a knight, let alone a legendary one."
"I heard..." Kerry lowered his voice, speaking mysteriously, "that the duke was burned to death!"
"Burned to death?" Karl's expression changed. "A fire thief?"
"Maybe." Kerry nodded, about to say more when he turned a corner and bumped into someone.
"Oof!"
Despite Kerry's plump build, he wasn't very strong. The slight bump caused him to stumble backward.
Fortunately, Karl steadied him, preventing a fall into the mud.
"What's wrong with you?"
As soon as Kerry regained his balance, he couldn't help but shout angrily, "Can't you watch where you're going?"
The person he collided with was a young man with a pale complexion, who scowled at the words, his triangular eyes narrowing.
In an instant, Karl's hairs stood on end, and a sense of danger washed over him.
He instinctively pulled Kerry back and took a step backward, his eyes widening in surprise and suspicion.
"Miles." In the distance, a carriage curtain was lifted, and a beautiful woman waved towards them. "Hurry over here."
"Hmph!"
The young man's eyes flickered, and he coldly humphed at Kerry, "Consider yourself lucky!"
After saying this, he turned and headed towards the carriage.
Kerry's face tightened, his eyes filled with anger, but he didn't stop the young man from getting into the carriage.
(End of Chapter)
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