Episode 12
It’s been two months since I started mock battles with my master, Kallion.
It’s about to be three months since I began my training.
Now, with the idea that I should gain experience by facing various opponents, I’d started doing mock battles with the members of the knight order.
Kallion was the great master who guided me, but he seemed to be known as a demon instructor in the knight order, and the faces of the order members when he brought me onto the knight order’s grounds for the first time are an unforgettable memory.
The knight order maintained by the Prominence House primarily equips its members with swords and spears.
Some individuals, having obtained special permission, also used specialized weapons like axes or blunt instruments as their standard equipment.
I had asked such people to instruct me during their free time, and now I had become capable of handling those kinds of weapons to some extent.
Kallion seemed troubled.
By fighting against many members of the knight order, I was rapidly improving my skills.
My magical abilities had also developed to the point where I could easily handle intermediate-level magic and had learned nifty tricks like multi-casting. Kallion must have realized that for me to gain further experience, the training grounds wouldn’t suffice.
Normally, he probably figured, one would consider monster subjugation to allow me to gain practical experience.
However, I was still only five years old.
He must have wondered: even if they were monsters, was it truly alright to make someone like me engage in life-or-death battles?
“Kallion. You seem troubled.”
“Commander Bannel. Is it that obvious?”
“Young master Claude’s talent is astounding. Many of our men, determined not to lose to a child, have started training harder than ever before. It’s a welcome change.”
“Indeed.”
“However, the skills one can acquire through training and the experience gained through life-or-death struggles are fundamentally different. The sensation of cutting flesh. The impact of severing bone. It’s true that some stumble at such things. Here, we force them to get used to it, one way or another, but don’t you think it’s better to have him experience it sooner rather than later?”
“That may be so, but he is still only five years old. I’m worried it might become a major trauma for him.”
“Despite the significant difference in physique compared to the order members, he shows no signs of fear. You should believe in your prized disciple.”
At the Commander’s advice, Kallion made up his mind.
He resolved that if I seemed about to break, he would just have to provide thorough support.
“You’re right. It will have to be after obtaining the Marquis-sama’s permission, but I think we’ll give it a try.”
“It’s possible for the knight order to provide assistance. Is it necessary?”
“I plan to have him face low-ranking monsters in the Grasslands at first, so we should be fine.”
“I see. If you need anything, just let me know anytime.”
Commander Bannel walked away, waving his hand casually.
The knight order of the Prominence House regularly subjugated monsters for training and to maintain the stability of the surrounding environment.
Their renown was said to be such that they could stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the Royal Guard.
Having repeatedly engaged in mock battles with such order members, my skills had become truly formidable.