Chapter 81 – Gap.
“Queue, why are you training at dawn like this? I’m starving to death.”
When it’s early in the morning to eat breakfast. The sun hadn’t even been seen yet, only the sky was brightening blue. Today, Usher is being called by Donnar to train with him. Waking up earlier than usual and waking up in a drowsy state made the training more difficult.
“Have you seen monsters or enemies waiting for you to eat? There are times when you have to wake up and fight even while sleeping, let alone eating.”
“…Why, the more I hear about articles, the more I hate it.”
“That’s what I’m saying, so listen carefully.”
Even if I felt dissatisfied with training at a time like this, I had nothing to say when those words came back. How hard is the replacement article? Still, it was good to learn posture and coping skills, but the problem is that the end of training is always sparring with Rogi. It was understandable that this side’s skills were growing quickly, but the result was Usher’s defeat without fail.
“Wow, you woke up in a mess today.”
“Noisy.”
Usher was annoyed by Mediah’s words, which only added to his miserable mood.
“You don’t have to be too impatient, the time you’ve been training with Rogi is different, isn’t it?”
“I know. Something like that.”
Donnar watched their training from afar until the sun rose, and when it was over, he watched Usher, who was even more embarrassed by the approaching Belka and Mediah. I know it can’t be helped, but losing in Dalian in front of girls would hurt my pride. Not bad for Donnar, who was aiming to train harder with Usher feeding on it. However, he couldn’t stand the golden light of the girl who looked at him resentfully while treating Usher, so he laughed awkwardly.
“By the way, Shalby, did you decide to take over Logi?”
To avoid stinging glances, Donard asked his friend, who had been watching Usher’s training with him this time. Logi wasn’t as good as Usher or Belka, but he was also in an ambiguous position within the ranks.
“That’s right. If you raise them thinking you’re teaching them, you won’t die of starvation somewhere later.”
Even if he was a promising knight, he still has no guardian at such a young age. Still, if he grows up, he will surely become a competent knight, but the problem must have been that he was still too young for people to readily take him. What people want from a child like Rogi is a worker who will earn money or a son-in-law who will protect their safety and property, rather than a guest family to raise and feed. Even if you look at the future, raise and feed them, you don’t know what will happen in the future, but there would be no people to take them.
“Because this floor is always short of manpower.”
Still, if you know that Logi is an apprentice knight trained under a knight, there will be quite a few people to take later. I think it’s too early to put him into action as he’s not fully matured physically yet, but there are many people who want to take him as a mercenary if he has some skills. Similarly, when Usher gets used to training, some will want to take him with him. It seems like he has no idea where to put his feet.
“By the way, are you teaching Usher about monsters and training him?”
“Oh right.”
Donard realized that Shalby’s words had forgotten the most important thing. Rogi would have been educated first in Paciphenia, but Usher is a different story.
“You stone head! Didn’t you teach me that and start with the anti-personnel skills?!”
“Don’t you think that’s the most urgent thing?”
He saw Usher being looked after by Belka. It is the image of Usher comforting the girl, who was not seriously hurt but could not hide her concern, as if telling her not to worry. There were not only two eyes watching them. Few of them had families who had entered as Aeolus’ vassals this time, but as if they were the offspring of the existing vassals, there were quite a lot of gazes looking at them from a distance.
“Tsk, I guess I can’t help it.”
“Yes?”
Even though I rented a place with as few people as possible, I saw men watching this way. It’s not that there aren’t any girls or kids of that age, but there are quite a few guys who look quite old. Seeing this, Shalby also clicked her tongue and agreed. At least while Usher and Belka lived inside the castle, they had to be more careful about the same people than about monsters. You may wonder what children would do, but these things are easier for children to commit. Donnar glanced at Logi and turned his head.
Belka and Usher’s close relationship would make some people jealous. He seems to care about Chuck Usher, not Aeolus’ daughter, Mediah. Because of this, things might get bigger. If there was a problem with that, Aeolus would intervene, but it was too hard to trust him blindly because of the way he looked at the girl.
“Still, teach me the basics whenever possible.”
“That’s right. They’re too worried to be left alone.”
Even if he didn’t, he intended to take care of the children as long as he could. Donard recalled the conversation he had with Ermis the day before yesterday.
“Donnar, take good care of those children.”
“I thought so, but is there any other reason?”
“It’s a pity that we can’t reciprocate directly, but it must have been thanks to those children that we passed through the wall.”
He didn’t tell me the details, just said that he was asking for it and parted ways. In the end, there was one more reason to protect the children, but nothing changed.
“Morning training is over now, so let’s take a break and continue at lunch.”
“Ugh, again?”
“You have to do this much. The basics.”
Usher complained, but originally, it was training after breakfast and before lunch. To be honest, it was like that because the girl noticed it and made it worse. After training in the morning, they gathered at the banquet hall and had a meal. Apparently, apart from inviting guests, it seemed to be a daily routine for lords and vassals to gather together and have a meal.
“Do you know about monsters?”
“Okay.”
He decides to briefly tell Shalby about the monster over a meal, having heard her.
“Isn’t that just a grouping of particularly aggressive animals?”
“It’s not necessarily wrong. Actually, it’s a little different.”
That’s usually what you know. In fact, most of them did. Monsters had extreme aggression that did not even buy their own bodies, which do not exist in normal creatures. Even the intelligent ones are often more tricky than the dragons that attack them openly because they attack humans more meticulously and more cunningly. It’s like a weapon made for just that purpose. Those who attack in a more human-like way than humans.
But the real reason is that there is a crucial difference between ordinary animals and monsters.
“Normal animals just reproduce by themselves, but monsters use humans as hosts.”
“Kuluk! Kuk! Moo, what, cup!”
Was it still a stimulating story for Usher? His words made him choke and couldn’t stop his cough.
“What if I talk about that during dinner!”
Of course, it was Donnar only after hearing the girl’s stinging gaze and being beaten by Sif. A slightly tumultuous morning came to an end and they were escorted by the maid to see the rooms they had been assigned to, not as guests, but as her vassals.
“Hey, are you sure this is where we’re assigned?”
Donar couldn’t believe it, so he grabbed her maid who guided him and asked.
“Yes, this is for sure. If there’s anything you don’t like, let me know…”
“No. It’s a bit unfamiliar.”
He couldn’t help feeling bewildered, but he got the key to her room from her. She didn’t like the room, so she wasn’t at all like that if you asked. Rather, I liked it so much that I got rid of it. Even the guest room that had been there before seemed to be the size of a tolerable house, but it feels like a pricey house has been moved as it is.
“It’s a bit bigger here than it used to be.”
Sif stepped into the room with a curious look.
“Now I don’t have to look at that bastard and her face, even when I’m sleeping. Belka is sleeping with me now, right?”
“Maybe.”
Usher looks refreshed, saying that he doesn’t have to sleep with Rogi anymore. Even the children looked around the room casually, and Donard went out into the hallway to get some fresh air, wondering if he was strange. And what he found was the figures of his colleagues who came out into the hallway like himself and lined up like armor ornaments.
“…I’m not the only one who thinks it’s strange, right?”
“I think it’s too wide here.”
“I think 14 people slept together in one room like that.”
“Maybe I misunderstood that many people are one?”
Fortunately, Donnar nodded his head as they sympathized with him.
“It must be one of the two. The knights in Pacifenia and the knights in Lantua have the same name but are different.”
“Are you doing the same thing?”
“Then it must be treated well here.”
“No matter how different countries are, what is it? This difference.”
They exchanged complaints without complaining, only to return to their rooms after receiving surprised glances from passing maids. Because I had to unload the luggage I was carrying. However, I had to put off the luggage arrangement for a while for the guest who came to see me how long it had been since I had been assigned a room.
“It’s nice to meet you again. I’ll formally greet you. My name is Mediah.”
“Uh, um, hello. Lady Medea. I’m Donar.”
“My name is Sif.”
Donar answered awkwardly as he watched Medea salute her as she slightly lifted and lifted her skirt. It wasn’t that I didn’t know him before, but I was nervous when I faced him like this. Sif is no different from him.
“Huh, it’s okay if you speak comfortably.”
“How would I?”
“Pasifenians seem to be a little softer, but they seem to be more stubborn in this area.”
“It’s funny,” She laughed. She is an elegant girl who even looks sad.
“Kek, did you come all the way here?”
“Oh, is there any reason why I can’t come?”
“It’s not like that.”
When Usher was fed up with Medea’s visit to her room, she approached him as if he was sad. She was full of playfulness instead of the elegant young lady she had shown just now. He eventually averted his gaze at the face of Medea, who had come close to her nose. Then, as if her errands were over, she approached Belka this time.
“Will Belka sleep here from now on? It’s a bit unfortunate.”
“Why are you calling Belka friendly again!”
“Well, I’m Belka’s friend too.”
“Huh.”
Usher finally lets go of Medea, who sighs and grabs Belka’s hand. He realized he couldn’t stop her no matter what, so he couldn’t help it.
“Hey, have you been friends with that girl before?”
“It’s probably because she’s close with Belka, not me.”
Usher couldn’t understand why Donar asked her that she was Belka and not her. No matter how you look at it, isn’t she more friendly with Belka than he is?
“Then let’s go to my room to play!”
“Hey! Why are you taking Belka with you?!”
Mediah, who couldn’t stand it, took Belka’s hand and left the room, followed by Usher.
“We’ll take care of the luggage. Come and play.”
After hearing Sif’s words, Usher ran after the girls.
“It’s in the middle of the day.”
“Yes.”
Usher quickly caught up with the girls.
“Eh! You’re persistent! What’s going to happen if we just leave each other alone?”
“Why is it painful? And you are the one who is persistent!”
It was she who intervened between them, but Mediah, who talked as if he intervened, was absurd.
“When ladies gather together, it’s polite to get out of the way of the gentleman.”
“You’re just trying to tear me away with nice words.”
“Chit, that’s why you’re a quick-witted person.”
At this point, Usher was inadvertently struck by Medea’s beauty, to the point that she felt like an idiot. Perhaps she was fooled by her sickly impression.
“Evil! What!”
At that moment, Usher screamed. Medea pinched his arm. She seems to have pinched it small, but it hurt so much that I wondered if she was really pinching it.
“Usher, you better not think bad thoughts in your heart. It’s obvious.”
“…”
Usher decided to follow them in silence.
