Chapter : 11

It was no easy task to land consistent strikes on the pile of logs. Even for a skilled knight, the repulsive force would inevitably disrupt their trajectory. Yet, the lord did it without faltering.

'Amazing.'

No matter how much advice Biden had given, to grasp it in one go.

This was proof that the lord had control over his entire body. It was truly an immense talent.

Chamberlain Hamil was speechless.

'Does this mean the bloodline of the Bellua Margraviate doesn't go anywhere?'

No matter how much he had lived like a loafer, it seemed the bloodline of the Bellua Margraviate, famous as dragon slayers, was passed down intact.

Thanks to this, Chamberlain Hamil was moved. To think that the lord he served was so outstanding.

"May I have your hand for a moment?"

"?"

"There is something I need to check."

-Swoosh.

Without a word, I handed my hand to Chamberlain Hamil. Chamberlain Hamil kneaded my hand for a moment, then frowned.

"Hmm… as expected."

"Is there a problem?"

"No, sir. This time, would you mind standing next to me for a moment?"

"……?"

Well, he wouldn't do anything strange, would he? I followed Hamil's words and stood beside him. Then, Chamberlain Hamil began to feel my arms and legs.

It felt somewhat strange.

I looked at Chamberlain Hamil and laughed awkwardly.

"Ch-Chamberlain Hamil? This seems a bit strange…?"

"Ah, it is not strange. Please do not misunderstand, My Lord."

Then he began to press and feel my torso.

"By any chance, did you feel any pain after the swordsmanship training just now?"

"Ah, actually, my shoulder blades and side hurt a little."

"You mean here?"

"Ugh, yes. There."

When I screamed at the sharp pain, Chamberlain Hamil nodded and stepped back.

"It is natural to get injured when you suddenly use muscles you don't normally use. The trajectory of your sword swing just now was probably different from the muscles you usually use, so it might hurt."

"Is that so?"

"Yes. After training, you must eat plenty of meat and rest well. That way, your recovery will be faster, My Lord."

The physical ability of the lord that Chamberlain Hamil had just grasped was not very good.

A body that had not yet developed. Because of this, his body was under a lot of strain in using his innate talent.

'Still, his bone structure is excellent. He will build up the lacking muscles in no time.'

Therefore, Chamberlain Hamil decided to change his plan.

Repetitive swordsmanship training was meaningless to the lord right now.

An innate talent to grasp the core of a technique after seeing it once. On top of that, a bone structure suitable for a knight.

What the lord needed was diverse experience to become an outstanding warrior.

"For your information, My Lord, your speed of acquiring swordsmanship is very fast. Isn't that right, Biden?"

"To be honest… you have a talent for it."

Not just a talent, but a talent that could be counted on one's fingers.

However, Chamberlain Hamil did not add that remark.

The lord might become arrogant if he heard it. In battle, arrogance was a very great danger.

But I, who heard that, could only be bewildered.

'Huh? Me?'

To have a talent. In swordsmanship, no less?

I just feel like I swung the sword a bit cleanly, but isn't it a bit much to say I have a talent for that?

But it seemed not.

A system notification popped up right away, and a trait was unlocked.

-Tiriring.

[Trait: Swordsmanship Genius is unlocked.]

[Swordsmanship Genius – You have an overwhelming talent for swordsmanship.]

'Heol.'

I don't know why this damn game gives out so much, but it seems I do have a talent.

Well, they possessed me in a shithole of a domain like this, so they should at least give me a few protagonist buffs.

As I was thinking that, Chamberlain Hamil approached me and said.

"Therefore, we must change the training method."

"Change it… how? Wouldn't it be better to just keep swinging the sword? I think I need to become a little more familiar with the sword. Hahaha."

An unknown anxiety crept up, and I tried to say something, but it didn't work.

"This kind of training is not of much help to you, My Lord. Besides, don't you have to march to the Great Forest soon? It is better to prepare thoroughly for that time."

Chamberlain Hamil then scanned my body.

"What you need, My Lord… is real-life combat experience. Biden. Get ready."

He said, standing beside Biden.

-Srrring.

At that, Biden drew his sword, grinned, and spoke.

"Don't worry and come at me with all your might. I will teach you excellently in a crash course."

* * *

Crazy medieval people….

To train with real swords. My mind went blank. But what could I do? This was the default setting of this era.

In the end, I had to spar with them as they wished.

A bloody real-combat training, exchanging sword blows at that.

A major accident could have happened if things went wrong, but Chamberlain Hamil and Biden pushed forward recklessly. Thanks to that, I had to leave countless wounds on my body during the training period of over 10 days.

But the Swordsmanship Genius trait was amazing.

-Clang, clang-clang.

On the third day.

I showed that I was not inferior to Biden in swordsmanship. And by the time a week had passed, I even showed superiority in some aspects.

At that point, we were in the middle of a chaotic battle training with Chamberlain Hamil joining in.

-Kakang!

-Clang!

"You must concentrate, My Lord."

With a shout, Hamil's attack struck my longsword. It seemed to stop as they interlocked, but it then rode along the sword and aimed for my neck.

"Huk!"

I barely managed to retreat and avoid the attack.

"Longsword swordsmanship is an art where attack is defense, an art of offense and defense in one. When you attack, you must always think of defense as well."

Chamberlain Hamil's explanation was very kind.

Except for that incredibly fierce attack.

Even while he was speaking, his sharp sword grazed my body several times. But Chamberlain Hamil was a saint in comparison.

-Kagagagang!

-Kang, kang!

Because Biden attacked with deadly intent, regardless of whether I was the lord or not.

Not just sword strikes, but kicks, punches, wrestling, and so on.

Under the pretext of giving me real-life combat experience, Biden actively used his body.

'Ugh-! These rotten bastards.'

Screaming internally, I barely shook off the clinging Biden.

-Kaddeuk!

Then our swords got entangled in each other's crossguards, and we couldn't move. A stalemate, a so-called binding state.

'Oops-!'

Remembering Biden's specialty, I tried to break free quickly, but it was too late.

Twirl. He switched his grip on the hilt and struck my head with the heavy pommel. It was an unexpected method of attack.

-Whack.

"Ugh."

I fell backward with a thud from the impact. My forehead throbbed as if a small lump had formed.

"Hoo, hoo. I finally managed to take you down, My Lord."

"Damn, doesn't it hurt too much, Biden? And what was that attack just now? I didn't expect it at all."

"Haha. It's my secret technique. I used it just in case. I'm glad."

Biden wiped away his flowing sweat as he looked at me grumbling.

He didn't say it, but Biden realized that this training was coming to an end.

'There's nothing more to teach.'

Had he not used his final, carefully hidden technique for a reason?

The lord would probably master it soon and would never fall for it again.

It was truly a demonic talent.

Because he learned all the attacks he saw once.

"From now on, you probably don't have to come out and do this every day."

"What? Really?"

“……”

I looked at Chamberlain Hamil in surprise, and he nodded silently.

"Well, this is… something's good about it, but it's a bit disappointing."

I said, scratching my head.

The training that made me pant was so intense it made me want to swear, but it was true that I felt a sense of accomplishment and enjoyment after doing it.

"If you're that disappointed, shall we just go back to doing it every day, My Lord?"

"Ahem. What are you talking about? I'm busy from now on, so I can't do that. Ahem, ahem."

"Hahaha. I'm joking."

Chamberlain Hamil then laughed heartily.

"All you need now, My Lord, is real combat."

"That's right. In terms of skill, you can probably beat most knights without much trouble. However…"

"However?"

"It might be difficult against those with a lot of combat experience. Seeing blood is usually like that. There is a big difference between those who have seen blood and those who have not. Besides, such people also attack in a way that gives flesh to take bone, so there will be many variables."

"I see…"

"So, when you enter real combat, just remember one thing."

"One thing?"

"Abandon hesitation. That is what will ultimately save you, My Lord."

"Hmm… I understand. I will not forget your advice and will always remember it."

I nodded my head as I listened to Chamberlain Hamil and Biden's words.

A rather brutal piece of advice.

But I felt that this was a mindset that was absolutely necessary to survive in the Middle Ages.

And with this day, my training came to an end.

* * *

My personal training was over, but my duties as lord were not.

The domain was still engaged in an all-out war to support the reclamation project.

Artisans and necessary materials were being piled up everywhere, and the soldiers summoned by the nobles and me were also gathering in the capital one after another.

But the end was now in sight.

Once the investigator returned, we could soon march towards the Great Forest.

As if the heavens had read my wish, the investigator dispatched to the northern Duchy of Bourgogne returned shortly after.

And with a very hopeful report at that.

At the end of the report, which was filled with praise, it was emphasized that this new farming method must be introduced to the domain.

After reading it, I immediately convened a council of vassals.

"Well, have you all read it?"

"Ahem. Ahem."

At that, all the vassals coughed.

It seemed they remembered the promise they had made to me in the past.

The promise to withdraw if the report was not good. This was the same as a promise to willingly follow if the report was good.

"According to the report submitted by the investigator you all agreed on, this new farming method will be a great blessing to the domain. It says that two to three times the profit can be extracted from the same manor… What do you think?"

"Meeeh~ What more needs to be said if it's good? Let's proceed."

As expected, Bishop Marco, who was sensitive to money, answered immediately. However, Chamberlain Hamil seemed unconvinced.

"However, it seems there is a small problem, My Lord."

"A problem? What kind of problem?"

"According to the report, the fallow land will disappear, and the common fallow land of the manor will disappear. Doesn't this mean that the livelihoods of the poor peasants and small tenant farmers who depend on it will become bleak? Of course, as a manor lord, it is good for me, but…"

Hmm. It was a more realistic point than I thought.

Even setting aside the peasants' distrust of the new farming method, if the Norfolk farming method was introduced, the fallow land would disappear, as Chamberlain Hamil said.

Usually, fallow land was managed jointly and used as pasture, but if all the land was used, such pasture could not be used jointly either.

Then, there was a high possibility that they would be dissatisfied. At the same time, the poor peasants whose livelihoods had become bleak would become vagrants.

"Meeeh~. Aren't the ones Chamberlain Hamil is talking about ruffians who use the pasture recklessly? You can just ignore them and push forward. Meeeh~."

"Is that something a clergyman should say now, Bishop Marco?"

"In any case, they are poor whether they use the common pasture or not. There is no need to worry. Meeeh~."

Watching them bicker gave me a headache.

"Enough, enough. Can't you be quiet?"

"My apologies."

"My apologies. Meeeh~."

I stopped their fight by tapping the table.

"Chamberlain Hamil's point has some merit. The new farming method has such problems. However… if their poor lives are the problem, can't we just help them?"

In this era, the poor were poor no matter what.

It was difficult for them to escape poverty for the rest of their lives because they became poor due to the lack of land to farm.

Therefore, it was right to give them other opportunities instead.

"Meeeh~!"

But as soon as those words were out, Bishop Marco let out a groan.

"My Lord, meeeh~. We cannot accept any more poor people at the church right now. The finances are tight. Meeeh~."

Originally, poor relief was the duty of the church.

It seemed he misunderstood that I was telling the church to take on all the newly created poor people. As expected of a greedy goat beastman. He was very insistent.

"Bishop Marco…"

"Meeeh~ You called?"

"I like that you are so consistent. It's excellent."

"Meeeh?"

Was it a compliment or an insult? Bishop Marco tilted his head at the ambiguous words. I clicked my tongue as I looked at the bishop.

"Both Chamberlain Hamil and Bishop Marco, I know what you are worried about. But I know a way to solve this. So, leave this matter to me. I will take full responsibility for this part."

I wondered if he had ever heard of it.

The Elizabethan Poor Law.

A law that forced able-bodied poor people to work in workhouses.

I was thinking of emulating that.