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~3rd Person Perspective~
In the training ground.
Braham and Takao were having a mock battle.
Braham was carrying a large wooden sword, while Takao had a large wooden sword and a large wooden shield that he could both hold in one hand.
Takao used his shield to defend against Braham’s fierce attacks, while quickly counterattacking when he saw an opening.
The high-level offensive and defense continued.
Unable to withstand Braham’s onslaught, Takao lost his stance.
“An opening!!” (Braham)
“!!!” (Takao)
He swings his wooden sword at Takao’s neck.
Braham stopped his sword just short of a direct hit.
“I win.” (Braham)
“……I lost.” (Takao)
Takao seemed a little disappointed but accepted his defeat.
“Okay, one more time!!” (Braham)
“Ugh, I’m hungry…” (Takao)
“I, I see… You can’t fight if you are hungry… All right, let’s get some bread!” (Braham)
“I want an onigiri…” (Takao)
“What’s an onigiri?” (Braham)
“Oh, I see… there’s none of that here. I guess I’ll just have to make do with bread…” (Takao)
“What do you mean, make do? Bread is delicious!” (Braham)
Braham scolds Takao, who has a disappointed look on his face.
“Okay, while Takao is eating… Zat, it’s your turn to face me!” (Brham)
“I don’t want to. How many times do you think I’ve done this? I’m older than Captain, so please give me a break.” (Zat)
“Don’t talk like an old man! Let’s go.” (Braham)
“I’m like an old man compared to Captain. If I do it any longer, I’ll get injured, so I won’t spar anymore. Please take a rest or practice on your own for a while. Everyone is tired.” (Zat)
The soldiers in the parade ground nodded in agreement at Zat’s words.
It seemed that they were all exhausted from Braham’s excessive training.
However, Braham, who is supposed to be the most active, did not seem to be tired at all. He has quite the extraordinary stamina.
“Hmm, I understand… I have no choice. I’ll just practice on my own.” (Braham)
Braham did not have the option of resting here.
He started training by himself.
“Ahh, I’m tired!!” (Braham)
After a few hours, Braham, tired from the training, collapsed in the middle of the training ground.
Even Braham, who had a lot of stamina, had reached his limit.
“Are you finally done?” (Zat)
“Whoa, you were there?” (Braham)
Braham is surprised when he hears Zat’s voice.
The only other soldiers in the training camp were Braham and Zat. Braham thought that Zat had gone back along with the others.
“I was training too. Well, unlike the captain, I take breaks every now and then.” (Zat)
“You’re more serious than usual.” (Braham)
“I’ve always been serious.” (Zat)
“Really…?” (Braham)
Braham looked doubtful.
“I came here to talk to Captain about something. However, you were not stopping with your training, I just had to stay.” (Zat)
“Talk to me? What about?” (Braham)
“What about? The soldiers have been complaining about the recent training. We have been training them to improve their individual combat skills for some time now, but we should also be training them to improve their coordination as a unit. However, recently all we have been doing is individual combat training. Moreover, the training was quite hard. This is not good for the morale of the soldiers, including their training.” (Zat)
“Hmm… But I need to get stronger.” (Braham)
“Is it because you couldn’t protect Lord Ars?” (Zat)
“……that’s right.” (Braham)
Braham nodded.
“Lord Ars is my benefactor who released me from prison and made me his vassal. When I first became his vassal, I thought it was natural because of my talent, but I’ve now realized that it’s not the case. If Lord Ars hadn’t been there, I would have been executed as an enemy soldier, or I would have been driven out as an incompetent commander and become a bandit. I’m sure I owe him more than I can repay, but I couldn’t protect him. …I need to get stronger.” (Braham)
With a look of frustration and regret on his face, Braham said.
“You were guarding with me back then, right? So, you know how I feel.” (Braham)
“No, unfortunately, I don’t.” (Zat)
“What?” (Braham)
Braham glares at Zat with a sharp glare.
“It’s too late to regret the past. Even if I get stronger now, the fact that we couldn’t protect Lord Ars won’t change.” (Zat)
“I, I know that! That’s why I’m trying to get stronger so I can protect him this time!!” (Braham)
“You don’t understand. The captain has lost sight of what he needs to do because of his regrets. Please think again whether it is really for the sake of Lord Ars and the Louvent family to give priority to your own training, even if it means lowering the level of training of the elite troops.” (Zat)
“Ku……” (Braham)
Braham looks frustrated.
He understood deep down that Zat was right.
Whatever the situation, as a captain of the elite unit, maintaining the morale of the troops and improving their training level were his top priorities, and Braham understood that too.
Still, he couldn’t allow himself to remain weak, unable to protect Ars.
“Well, there is no need to be hasty. The captain is still young. Besides, you have talent that Lord Ars recognized. Even if you don’t increase the amount of training hurriedly, you will get stronger and stronger just by training normally.” (Zat)
“…That’s right. You’re right. Starting tomorrow, we’ll continue training as usual.” (Braham)
With a remorseful look, Braham responded.
(That was unexpected.) (Thomas)
Thomas Grangeon was lost in thought in his room at Canale Castle.
He is not an official vassal of the Louvent family.
He has not yet officially become a vassal, although he has been active in training soldiers, teaching them, and so on.
However, Thomas recognized Ars’ abilities after seeing the many capable vassals who served the Louvent family.
Maybe it would be a good idea for me to become Ars’s vassal. Just as he was thinking that he heard a report that Ars had been poisoned.
(…Who was the assassin? Sights is the most likely candidate. However, normally they would have targeted someone who was a direct threat, like Ritsu or Charlotte, but if they instead targeted the boy, it seems Sights has been doing a pretty thorough investigation into Canale County.) (Thomas)
That’s how Thomas analyzed it.
He had not heard from Ritsu about who had hired the assassin, but he had an idea of what to expect under the circumstances.
(But Mireille’s prediction, as much as I hate to admit it, is often right. I thought, too, that the boy would eventually become a Messiaen’s lord, as she said… but it seems that, unusually, her reading was off.) (Thomas)
Thomas also acknowledged Mireille’s ability. However, he didn’t like her personality and had no intention of being close to her.
(Even if the boy dies, there will still be plenty of manpower… but it will be no good going forward without the boy… so there is no reason for me to stay in the Louvent family, and it would be better for me to go to another state and find employment…) (Thomas)
Thomas’ goal is to take revenge on Clan who killed his master, Basamark.
Unless he could at least get hired somewhere, he would not be able to achieve his goal. Regardless of whether he could get hired or not, he could not give up.
(Well, the boy isn’t dead yet. Let’s wait and see what happens.) (Thomas)
T/N: I know Ars can’t die, him being the MC. But I need my recovery chapter, soon.
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