"Very good! You've got a solid foundation. The knight conditioning method you're using is the one most families on the continent employ. It's a prerequisite passed down through generations."
"However, there are a few minor errors in your practice. Follow my movements to correct these habits. While these small mistakes don't impact much, they do affect your coordination," Fabio patiently instructs Henwell, demonstrating a complex series of movements akin to gymnastics.
Henwell is completely focused, determined not to miss a single detail.
Even though this is just a basic training method used by knight families to teach their descendants, Henwell knows these techniques are invaluable. They aren't something money can buy. They belong exclusively to the upper class and are never shared with commoners.
Back in the small town, Henwell had only managed to learn by secretly observing at the knight's manor, which meant he didn't receive systematic guidance, leading to some deviations. Kavize, though skilled, was a ranger by origin and focused on teaching Henwell combat techniques and enemy strategies rather than the conditioning method.
Now, with a teacher who is willing to patiently guide him, Henwell is eager to learn and doesn't slack off for a moment.
At the same time, Henwell keeps himself grounded and doesn't let saving Fabio's life give him illusions of equality with the nobles.
Especially since he suspects Fabio might be related to Count Obiken, he knows he must be even more respectful. Even though Fabio insists otherwise several times, Henwell continues to take care of him like a proper squire.
As Fabio frequently interacts with noble officers, Henwell gradually becomes familiar with them as well.
Through their conversations, Henwell learns that the allied forces' vanguard of a hundred thousand has been completely wiped out.
The only thing preventing further complications for the allied forces is the heavy winter snow, which makes movement difficult. Otherwise, the allied forces might have already launched a counterattack on Wilderness City.
Everyone understands that by the latest, a major battle for Wilderness City will commence by next spring. Henwell knows he must seize this time to learn as much as possible, as any skill might prove useful when it comes to escaping.
Every morning, Henwell practices running long distances with weights. Despite Fabio's remarks that this doesn't much aid a knight's growth, Henwell persists.
He knows full well that he's not just running; he's racing against death.
Whether the allied or enemy forces win, chaos will ensue. In such times, whether fleeing or slipping away unnoticed, being able to run is a crucial skill.
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When he has time, Henwell often wonders how his mother and siblings are doing.
Back when Henwell informed Kavize about the potential army presence in Fire Eyes City, Kavize fulfilled his promise by rescuing Henwell's family from the cellar and relocating them to a safer place.
Kavize had promised to reveal their whereabouts after the battle in Fire Eyes City, but unfortunately, Kavize died, leaving Henwell clueless about where to find his family.
Sometimes, Henwell even questions whether his family is still alive, fearing Kavize might have deceived him, using his family as leverage with false promises.
It's perplexing that Kavize, a mercenary, seemed overly concerned about Henwell's situation. Every time these thoughts surface, Henwell finds himself distressed and takes to the yard, swinging a heavy longsword to clear his mind.
This hand-and-a-half sword was a gift from Kavize, measuring 1.2 meters, only a little shorter than Henwell himself.
The blade is three fingers wide at its broadest point, with a grip wrapped in non-slip beast leather strips, a weighted pommel, and a slightly curved guard towards the tip.
It features inscriptions on the hilt that Henwell doesn't recognize. According to Fabio, the sword is crafted from Thundersteel, a special metal known for its dull, thunderous clash rather than a sharp ring, hence its name.
Unaware of the sword's original name, Henwell names it "Dawnbreaker," symbolizing his hope that this great sword will help him emerge from his nightmare-like experiences and see a brighter future.
Although Henwell can wield Dawnbreaker, it is cumbersome. He often prefers the short sword gifted by his father, with a blade just over a foot long, perfectly suited to his current stature.
Swinging Dawnbreaker is more about exhausting himself to calm his mind and forget those troubling thoughts.
This winter, both armies and civilians enter a period of calm. Only Henwell remains constantly busy, absorbing everything he can like a sponge.
Time passes, and when spring arrives, everyone feels a heavy sense of foreboding, devoid of any joy typically associated with the season. Henwell understands that the blossoming earth will be nourished by blood and fertilized with bodies.
He has no idea what fate has in store for him.
Perhaps he'll live to see how vibrant the flowers fed by such grim sustenance can be, or perhaps he'll become part of that nourishment himself. In any case, he's done all he can and now must leave the rest to fate.
Due to the annihilation of the Silent Battle Axe Legion, Fabio is reassigned to the noble private army, leading over three hundred conscripted serf soldiers.
Thanks to his connection with Count Obiken, Fabio isn't sent off alone. He has a personal guard consisting of over ten cavalrymen and more than forty soldiers from the Silent Battle Axe Legion, making his presence in the noble army less insignificant.
When Henwell arrives at the noble private army's camp and sees the state of the serf soldiers, he stops criticizing the duchy's regular army.
Compared to this, the duchy's troops, which he previously looked down upon, are indeed elite forces.
Just look at this ragtag bunch! There are kids as young as twelve or thirteen and elderly men with graying hair. Are they really here to fight?
What?
I'm not even ten years old myself?
That's true!
But Henwell is confident he could take on any of the young serf soldiers in a fight, and if given some distance, he wouldn't hesitate to challenge even the stronger, more mature ones.
Having spent time with the regular army, Fabio is even more frustrated by the sorry state of his current recruits. He tries all sorts of drills and exercises with these serf soldiers, but the results are minimal.
Thinking they could be trained into professional soldiers is a joke, and Fabio himself doesn't believe it.