Outside the gates of Beno castle.
Pierce looked at the south while leaning on the thick walls.
‘It’s time for him to return…..’
He was forced to put on a casual expression but anxiety could be seen in his eyes.
‘Sir Adjutant Roan, when are you returning?’
It’s already been two months since Roan left for his temporary retirement.
And the 12th squad members were guarding outside the gates in shifts.
Then, a familiar voice was heard.
“Pierce!”
It was a p.r.o.nunciation that was mixed with many notes.
Pierce knew the owner of the voice even without turning back.
‘Sir Viscount Reil Baker.’
He fixed his posture and looked at the place where the voice was heard from.
A middle aged man approached him from the insides of the gate while smiling brightly.
Just like Pierce’s guess, the owner of the voice was Reil.
“I wondered where you went without even training in the spear, but you really were here!”
A face filled with playfulness.
Pierce saluted him.
“Sir!”
“Don’t act that stiffly.”
Reil approached him and hit Pierce’s shoulder.
He looked at the widely spread scenery and shook his head.
“I think that today will be the same.”
At those words, Pierce looked towards the south.
Just like Reil’s words, you couldn’t see a trace of Roan.
But it was still too early to get disappointed.
“I’m planning to wait until the sun sets.”
“And what if he doesn’t come.”
“I will have to come tomorrow.”
“What if he doesn’t come tomorrow?”
“I will have to come the day after.”
“What if he doesn’t come the day after?”
Reil kept asking in succession.
Pierce took in a breath and replied in a calm voice.
“Then, I can come the day after that. Because tomorrow always comes.”
A powerful resolution.
Reil was astounded.
‘I heard that the 12th squad was only formed a few months ago, but to have this much trust and loyalty……’
Probably Pierce and the others of the 12th squad would keep waiting until the day Roan returned.
‘Roan. He’s someone that I want to meet the more I learn about him.’
It’s already been 10 days since he stayed at Beno castle.
In the meanwhile, he had heard many stories about Roan.
And especially about that, the most interesting one was related to Roan’s spear skills.
‘At first, I thought that he just taught him what he knew.’
But while conversing with Pierce, he realized that that wasn’t everything.
‘Roan spearmanship…..’
He would have to ask him the precise things himself, but if it’s true that Roan made it himself…
‘It means that he’s a genius among geniuses.’
Even Reil lasted 10 years until he first made a spearmanship.
Even for Reil, it took him almost 10 years until to make his own spearmanship technique.
‘Is it already time to put down the t.i.tle of spear genius?’
He didn’t have any frustration.
Rather, his heart pumped faster because of the expectation.
‘Roan. I will wait for you here. Be it one day, two days, ten days or a month.’
He had that resolution.
‘Instead, you have to spar with me every time I want to.’
His mouth slightly raised up.
Perhaps it was because he wanted Roan to return quickly, but his eyes kept staring at the south.
Then.
‘Huh?’
Reil sharpened his eyes.
Because a dust cloud arose from the end of the plains.
‘A knight squad?’
It was still difficult to identify them precisely because they were still far away.
Then, Pierce’s voice was heard.
“They seem like knights.”
At those words Reil frowned.
“You, you can see that?”
“Yes.”
Pierce nodded with a calm expression.
Reil was astounded.
‘He can see that far at this distance? This guy certainly isn’t a normal one either.’
Because of Roan, he was a bit overshadowed by him, but Pierce’s talent was also excellent.
‘Although I can’t judge Roan’s talent before I personally meet him, the talent of this guy……’
Reil slightly bit his lower lip.
‘He’s more amazing than me.’
He had a kind of proud feeling.
He felt like he became rich.
‘For now, did I at least acquire one?’
If perhaps Roan’s talent was not that good, he had to at least acquire Pierce.
‘It’s slowly time to raise a disciple.’
The thing every n.o.ble wanted from him.
For the spear genius Reil Baker to train a disciple.
However Reil put out every kind of excuse until now and pretended not to know about that.
But looking at the shining talents Pierce had, he slowly felt that he wanted to raise a disciple.
‘If on top of this, Roan has a more outstanding talent………’
His mouth slightly rose up.
Meanwhile, the knights came quite close.
“They certainly seem like knights.”
Shining armors.
Only then could Reil identify them.
Dudududu.
Horse steps shaking the ground was heard.
Now, the knights were so close you could check their faces.
“Huh?!”
It was a surprised expression.
Reil let out a low exclamation.
“Count Lancephil?!”
The old man leading the knights.
He certainly was Io.
Only after he arrived at Ipen castle did Io get to know that Reil and Aaron were at Beno castle.
He didn’t rest a moment and went towards Beno castle.
“Hohoho! Viscount Reil Baker!”
Io, who arrived at the gates, discovered Reil and laughed.
“Greetings to Count Io Lancephil.”
Reil hurriedly bowed.
Pierce was also nervous as he was tense
Io slowly got off the horse and grabbed Reil’s hands.
“It hurt my feelings that you declined all the invitations I sent you until now.”
“I’m sorry. As I concentrated on training, I lacked the time to go to other places.”
“Right. Right. There’s nothing more important than focusing on your training.”
Io had a satisfied expression and nodded.
And then, said as if he was whispering.
“But what did you come all the way to Beno castle for?”
At those words Reil smiled bitterly.
“Actually, there’s someone I wanted to meet at all cos……”
When he talked up to that point.
“Huh? Huh? Huh?”
Pierce’s voice was heard.
A really perplexed look.
“Hm?”
Reil frowned and looked at Pierce.
Eyes implying what happened.
Pierce pointed at the knights.
Precisely, it was at the back of the knights wearing flashy armor.
There was a youth wearing a shabby and normal outfit.
Pierce yelled with all his voice.
“Sir Adjutant Roan!”
Roan had finally finished his retirement and returned to Beno castle.
And with the big shot n.o.ble Io Lancephil.
*****
‘Is this really a scene in my office?’
Gale was astounded.
For the past 10 days, Reil and Aaron had stayed in the headquarters of his troop, but even so there was no instance he felt as short of breath as he did now.
‘Count Io Lancephil.’
The pressure a count gave you was amazing.
Reil, who was always free and full of playfulness was also a bit nervous.
‘There’s Count Io Lancephil, Viscount Reil Baker, and Corps Commander Aaron Tate in this small and shabby office.’
The reason why they gathered here.
Gale slightly turned his head to look at Roan.
‘He’s becoming more of a big shot every time.’
A proud and uneasy feeling.
‘It feels like he would leave far away like this.’
Then, Io’s voice was heard.
“Hohoho. So Viscount Baker has come to meet Roan.”
He looked at Roan and nodded.
‘He certainly is a kid to have interest in.’
Io conversed about many things with Roan while traveling to Beno castle.
‘His thoughts on strategies and tactics were so deep and clear to the point you wouldn’t believe he’s an 18 year old.’
Abilities you had to have to become a good commander.
‘On top of that, his spear skills are also good.’
He remembered the sight of Roan ma.s.sacring 100 goblins in Whose village by himself.
Io, then looked at Reil.
“So, how does it feel after you met him yourself?”
At that moment, a strange silence fell on the office.
Reil put a weird smile on and looked at Roan.
‘His body is really good. He has great balance.’
But there was a limit as to what he could see with his eyes.
The smile on his mouth became denser.
“Roan.”
A gently calling sound.
Reil moved his feet and faced Roan.
Naturally, the sights of everyone gathered on him.
Gulp.
A nervous feeling to the point where it was weird.
Reil hit Roan’s chest.
“Spar with me.”
A really unshapely and direct battle proposition.
“Hohoho.”
Io laughed.
‘To abruptly propose for a spar. Although Roan’s skills and talent are outstanding in the end, he’s a normal soldier. For Roan, who’s a normal soldier, to face the best spearman like you……..’
When he thought up to that point.
Roan smiled faintly and nodded.
“Yes. Understood.”
He had a calm and clear att.i.tude.
Everyone’s eyes turned wide.
Even Reil was a bit surprised.
‘Look at this guy.’
His mouth rose.
‘He doesn’t have any hesitation?’
It was pleasurable.
This was the first case.
His body moved.
“Really? Then let’s go to the training field right now.”
Reil walked one step ahead with an excited look.
Roan followed his back without saying anything.
After the two people left, an awkward silence fell in the office.
“Hohoho.”
The thing that broke the silence was Io’s laughter.
“We will see a good spectacle.”
He smiled faintly and moved.
Only then did Aaron, Gale, the knights and the adjutants start to move.
‘A spar so suddenly?’
‘Will Roan be able to face him?’
Even if Roan’s talent was outstanding, he wasn’t an opponent for Reil.
Everyone thought like that.
Even so, there was some kind of expectation in Aaron’s and Gale’s hearts.
‘What if Roan wins……?’
The two looked at each other coincidentally.
Aaron and Gale understood their thoughts and laughed awkwardly.
And then they shook their heads.
‘But even so, it’s impossible to beat Viscount Reil Baker.’
That was the most normal and correct judgement.
The steps of the both of them directed to the training field that was at the back of the troop headquarters.
*****
Roan and Reil.
The two of them were facing each other while holding wooden sticks used for training.
The surrounding was filled with the soldiers of rose troop that heard the notices and came running.
Swish.
Roan and Reil took their stances while being five steps away from each other.
‘It’s a clear posture without flaws.’
Reil looked at Roan’s posture and was amazed.
‘But the feeling is somewhat strange.’
A feeling he couldn’t express with words.
To find an exact expression.
‘It kind of feels like it gets blurry.’
The sun that shined, the wind that blew, and the trees that slightly shook.
It felt like Roan permeated himself in the scenery and became blurry.
It was a state that was easy to lose his presence if you didn’t concentrate.
‘If I slip, the stick may hit my stomach.’
Reil took in a deep breath.
His five senses became sharper.
Actually, the reason why Roan’s presence and intent became blurry was because of Brent’s ring.
‘I have Brent’s ring with me but…….’
Roan looked at Reil and was astounded.
Reil certainly didn’t have any artifacts on him.
The casual outfit and a shabby wooden stick was everything.
But even so, the intent in his eyes was very strange.
The tip of the stick emanated a frightening and sharp intent, but aside from that he couldn’t feel anything from his body.
Just like.
‘It feels like only the stick is floating in the air.’
Reil was certainly tens of times stronger than Roan while solely looking at spear skills.
But even so, there was a reason in which Roan could accept the sparring pet.i.tion with a calm and composed att.i.tude.
‘There was a time when Viscount Reil Baker and Pierce sparred in my past life.’
But of course the time and situation were all different.
In his past life it occurred exactly after 1 year, when Pierce showed his skills in the battle of Int forest and Reil came to see him.
At that time, Roan was training with Pierce and because of that he could check everything next to him.
‘That day is just like today. There was Count Lancephil and Viscount Baker hit Pierce’s chest and asked him to spar once.’
Although the time was pulled and the concerned person was him and not Roan, but the start of the battle was the same.
This made him think of the past Int forest battle.
‘A future that’s different in time and situation but the structure itself is the same.’
This battle could be the same kind of future as the battle of Int forest.
‘If perhaps, my guess is true………’
He thought of the battle in his past life.
He clearly remembered the conversation and the contents they had just like it was yesterday.
The day his and Pierce’s life perfectly split.
They were memories he couldn’t forget even if he wanted to.
Roan gripped the spear tightly.
Grip.
He felt the rough texture of the wood.
‘Last time, everyone expected for an overwhelming victory on part of Viscount Baker.’
Then the results?
‘Just like their expectations, Viscount Reil Baker obtained an overwhelming victory………’
Pierce from back then, was a normal spearman and didn’t even know mana, but regardless of that they sparred for fifty blows.
‘Although Viscount Baker faced him in quite a relaxed manner, it was a really shocking result.’
Because of that Pierce could become Reil’s disciple.
A duke and supreme commander of Rinse kingdom.
The start of that road was the spar against Reil.
‘On top of that, aside from victory and defeat, I can’t miss the opportunity to spar against the best spearman in the country.’
The spar Roan was thinking about could be completely different to the one in his memories.
But even so, he really wanted to spar with him.
‘Because I didn’t even have the chance to do so in my past life.’
Roan looked at Reil fixedly.
‘If perhaps, this spar is the one that will happen the next year just like my guess………’
Calmness sank into his eyes.
‘Viscount Baker will laugh brightly……’
And surprisingly, Reil smiled brightly as if he was waiting.
‘Then he said, ‘Shall I check your skills?’
When he thought like that.
“Then, Shall I check your skills?”
Reil’s voice was heard.
A look that coincided with Roan’s thoughts.
‘Ah……’
Roan forcefully gulped down the exclamation.
His guess was right.
This spar was certainly the one Reil and Pierce did in his past life.
‘Why are you still? Are you scared? Then, should I move first?’
His memory was clear.
“Why are you still? Are you scared? Then, should I move first?”
There wasn’t even one mistake.
Roan took in a deep breath.
‘From now on, the spear comes piercing against my body. But that’s a feint. Actually, he’s looking to attack my left foot.’
Not differently, Reil bent his left knee slightly and quickly stabbed with his stick.
A really strong and quick stabbing.
Roan focused on the wooden stick and his wrist.
The wrist that slightly twisted in front of his stomach.
At the same time, the end of the spear fell towards the ground.
‘It’s the same as my past life.’
Roan hurriedly pulled back his left foot.
Tang!
Reil’s spear hit the ground.
“Oho! You are good?”
A humorous voice.
However, amazement was seen in Reil’s eyes.
‘You dodged this?’
His mouth slightly rose.
‘Then, should I play earnestly?’
Reil smiled brightly once more and swung his spear.
Roan fell back and lowered his body.
The trace of the spear filled his sight.
But he didn’t become astounded.
‘Although it’s not that I remember all the attacks…….’
He remembered the first and the last 50th attack clearly.
‘If Pierce from back then could face him, then the me from right now also can.’
At least, the Roan from now was stronger than Pierce from back then.
On top of that, if his guess was right Reil wouldn’t even have put strength into his attacks.
‘I just have to endure until the 50th blow.’
The last blow Roan was thinking about was the 51st one.
It was the next blow which Pierce couldn’t block and was done in.
< A new start (1) > End
Translator’s note: Thank you for reading!
Translator : Subak
Proofreader: st8_lupe.