The Escort Knight Who Is Obsessed by the Villainess Wants to Escape - Chapter 6

Light movement repetition training.

Literally, it’s just repeating the movement.

Putting in strength is something for later.

But my partner and fellow from the same room, Lindel, unexpectedly hit me with strength.

I don’t know what the complaint is.

Asking about that is a problem for later.

First, you have to return as much as you received to relieve your anger.

“Okay, this time it’s your turn to block and strike. Let’s try it again.”

Lindel said calmly.

“Yes, excuse me.”

I said so and tightened my grip on the sword.

I breathed slowly.

Sufficient breathing is necessary for explosive strength.

You just need to stop breathing briefly before hitting.

However, strength naturally left my hand holding the sword.

I gripped it tightly again, but the strength lost again.

… What’s this?

It’s not weakly held.

But it’s not held as strongly as I tried to.

What should I say?

I held it strongly, but I held it flexibly and smoothly.

I instinctively realized that this was the effect of swordsmanship.

It’s the first time I’ve held a sword.

I just thought I had to grip it tightly and swing it hard.

Like a baseball bat.

That’s not it.

That’s the grip of holding a blunt object.

The sword is not a tool for hitting opponents, but for cutting.

Now I understand the correction I received from the instructor several times.

“You don’t need to grip it tightly unnaturally. Use your wrist to enhance centrifugal force when swinging.”

The shield is the same.

I felt that my posture had become more solid than before.

“Why are you being so wary?”

On the other hand, Lindel seemed not to notice this difference.

“No way. Are you trying to get revenge on me?”

How could you do that to your senior?

It’s great confidence.

Confidence and arrogance are difficult qualities to distinguish.

I pretended to be weak on purpose.

“I’m sorry. I feel a bit dizzy where I was hit by the senior….”

“Stop exaggerating. Instead of going easy, fix your posture quickly.”

I glanced around.

Both the instructor and Gawain were looking elsewhere.

Only Eliza was staring at this side intently.

‘This incident wouldn’t be interesting.’

Why so curious about it.

Anyway, I held out the shield obliquely.

It’s a round shield with a center grip shape, holding the center.

It’s quite large, covering from the chin to the abdomen when attached to the body.

Basic knowledge of shields flowed into my head due to the characteristics of swordsmanship.

‘A shield isn’t just a defensive weapon. By securing one’s defense, you can pressure the opponent more aggressively.’

That’s why it’s held obliquely.

To actively block the opponent’s attacks.

Lindel swung his sword.

It’s a light movement that doesn’t expect a counterattack at all.

Normally, this would only be at the level of poking with the shield.

I don’t think so now.

I took a step forward.

The center of gravity is concentrated.

I swung the extended shield outward.

Short and fast, abrupt movements.

Bang!

Lindel’s sword flew outwards, his arm extended.

The upper body fully opened.

Thus, his weaknesses were exposed.

I maintained the momentum and pierced it into the sword.

Twisting the waist, swinging the arm, I bent the wrist just before the sword hit.

I transferred the rotational force of my whole body into the sword.

The bladeless wooden sword struck precisely at the collarbone.

Bang!

A sharp and lively sound echoed.

“Ah!”

Lindel screamed as he hesitated.

As he reached for his shoulder, he glared at me and then suddenly rushed forward.

“How dare this guy!”

The moment he tried to grab my neck.

“Stop!”

The instructor intervened.

“What are you doing during training!”

“This guy hit me!”

The instructor’s head turned towards me.

Just before he spoke.

“Wait.”

Eliza intervened with a smile.

She didn’t speak loudly.

Her small, soft voice instantly subdued the commotion and penetrated the mind.

“He hit Judas first.”

The instructor’s head quickly turned back to Lindel.

“Is it true?”

Lindel just grinned.

He couldn’t lie in this situation.

It would be like saying Eliza had seen it wrong.

“…Yes.”

Trembling, Lindel admitted.

“Why did you do that?”

“I, I, couldn’t control my strength… clumsiness…”

Lindel made excuses like he did to me.

Of course, I couldn’t believe him.

The instructor looked down at Lindel with cold eyes.

This time, he looked at me.

“Why didn’t you say so earlier?”

I tried to keep my expression as composed as possible and apologized.

“I’m sorry. Since the senior did it first, I thought I should do the same…”

Eliza, who had peeked, was smiling even brighter.

It seemed she quite liked my lie.

“Lindel, you’re warned. Be careful next time.”

“Y-yes…”

Lindel, who was about to make an excuse, finally shut his mouth.

The instructor turned around and shouted.

“What are you all staring at! Resume training!”

Meanwhile, Lindel glared at me.

I asked, concerned.

“Are you okay?”

“You, this guy…”

The instructor sighed and turned towards us.

Seeing Lindel’s mischief, he spoke again.

“I’ll supervise your training right by your side. You may begin.”

With the instructor right beside him, Lindel exchanged glances again.

Until the training was over, Lindel remained quiet.

Except for his eyes.

***

Lunchtime came after the morning training.

Eliza had left in the middle.

Must be busy.

Lessons as a noble are never easy.

She would have barely managed to make time even this morning.

‘She’ll say something.’

Even though I showed some interesting behavior yesterday, such incidents are rare.

It’s a rare occurrence.

Even today, there was some friction between Lindel and others, but that’s about it.

Even though Lindel is arrogant, he doesn’t engage in misdeeds like Kale does.

“Hey, so what happened? Did Lindel really make a mistake?”

Richard kept pestering from the side while eating.

He didn’t really want to escalate things.

It’s a common thing among young boys when they gather.

“Yes, that’s right.”

“It’s suspicious… that Lindel, he’s subtly arrogant. He doesn’t cross the line though.”

“He hasn’t caused any specific problems.”

Dylan chimed in from the side.

“But still, mate, you gotta have a sense of intuition.”

“Lindel’s growth within the same group has been somewhat lacking……”

As they discussed this and that, their roommates also chimed in.

About how Lindel usually is, this and that.

I didn’t know what they were talking about, so I let it go.

I don’t like gossip either.

But I quickly scanned to see who might be coming to talk to me.

‘The ones who didn’t seem pleased yesterday aren’t here.’

It seemed like there were factions even within the same room.

“Are you okay where you got hit?”

“Yes, it’s fine. After lunch, I plan to go to the infirmary.”

“Yeah, if you leave that alone, it’ll get worse.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

During lunch with Richard and Dylan.

Someone sat down with a thud in front of them.

Dipping the hard bread into the soup, he tried to eat it.

Lindel.

And two guys next to him… I don’t know their names.

They were the ones who didn’t smile yesterday, I’m sure of that much.

“Judas.”

Lindel called out as if growling.

“Isn’t your senior being too cocky?”

“If so, what about you?”

I didn’t have a chance to respond.

Richard raised himself as if to kill Lindel.

“Are you okay with me being next to you?”

“Is it time to cause trouble during mealtime? Stick your head in the soup pot and shut up before the broth boils over.”

Despite being young, Richard was the leader of Room 13.

Among the members of Room 13, he passed the most exams.

But Lindel didn’t back down.

Instead, he confidently faced Richard.

‘There’s some trust there.’

Sure enough.

Someone approached from behind Richard.

As if they were waiting.

The person who came with them was different from the others.

“Isn’t Lindel right?”

The boy who approached Lindel grumbled and put his arm around Lindel’s shoulder.

“How dare this new kid strongly oppose Lindel, a senior? Is this even appropriate? He’s only been here for two days anyway.”

“……”

I raised my head, trying to remember.

I remembered who it was.

‘Argon. 15 years old. And, 5th batch.’

He was a candidate who entered at the same time as Richard.

But he never showed leadership like Richard did.

He seemed to wander somewhere.

With Lindel as his comrade and the two beside him.

He get along well with these people who weren’t friendly to me.

The conclusion was simple.

‘Is he lacking in skills?’

A candidate who is ignored because of his lack of skills compared to higher-ranking ones.

His personality isn’t sociable either.

That Argon made Richard uncomfortable several times.

On the other hand, Richard brushed it off each time.

“Is it appropriate if you don’t follow the senior?”

Richard chuckled next to me.

I felt similarly.

First, I maintained my composure.

It’s already too late to let things slide without pushing back.

That’s my intuition.

But it’s not time to explode yet.

“There’s one thing I find strange.”

I asked abruptly.

“If being a senior is so important, why didn’t anyone say anything when I caught Kale?”

“Yeah, that’s right.”

Richard chimed in.

“Why are they trying to act like seniors now? Lindel, You. Didn’t you get a beatdown from Kale when you crossed paths with him before?”

“….”

“Thanks for that…”

“That IS that, and this is this. Do you compare a roommate with Kale?”

Argon retorted.

Richard’s face twisted as he gripped the fork tighter.

“Yeah… I was too lenient during the last duel.”

“What…?

Perhaps out of pride, Argon pushed Lindel aside and approached. He laid his hands loudly on the table and stared directly at Richard.

Sparks flew between them as if they were about to fight right now.

“Stop it.”

Dylan intervened cautiously.

“If this turns into a personal fight, we’ll have to report it to the responsible knight.”

As the room leader, he had that obligation.

Suddenly, other candidates gathered around.

It became noisy around here.

Some even wanted to instigate a fight because they were disappointed they weren’t fighting.

Richard leaned back in his chair, biting his tongue.

Argon said nothing and chuckled before backing off.

Lastly, Lindel looked at me and muttered under his breath.

“See you later.”

“That bastard until the end….”

Ignoring Richard’s muttering, Lindel moved to another table following Argon.

‘What a mess.’

I muttered to myself.

“Our broad-minded selves must endure.”

Richard said from the side.

“But just because we’re broad-minded doesn’t mean we have to endure, right?”

“That’s right.”

Richard chuckled at my agreement.

Dylan shook his head and said,

“Judas. You handled it logically, but… don’t take personal revenge. It’s different from dealing with Kale.”

As the Room leader, I understand the sentiment.

Considering I nearly publicly executed Kale, it’s reasonable to fear a repeat.

“It’s okay. This kind of tension isn’t common wherever you go.”

“That’s true.”

“But it’s not just tension, it feels like personal animosity. Have I wronged them in any way?” But,

“Well…”

Dylan and Richard pondered for a while.

The conclusion was the same as mine.

None.

“Lindel wasn’t like that originally. He’s from noble family, but he tried to get along with others. He seemed quite troubled, so I talked to him a few times. He was anxious because his training life didn’t go as planned.”

Dylan explained.

Richard sighed from the side.

“He wasn’t like that from the beginning either…. Failing a few tests, his taste gradually changed.” Argon said.

“I see.”

Acknowledging calmly, he summarized the situation.

‘Inferiority complex. Feelings of inadequacy.’

It was often the reason for stumbling in most human relationships.

It’s an issue of pride. Eventually.

I’m Lindel’s next competitor.

It’s been two days since I arrived.

But I am already quite noticeable.

It’s not just about criticizing Kale’s wrongdoing.

I resonate with the ‘Eliza’ they aspire to.

The expression ‘resonate’ is too broad and vague, but anyway, it’s clear that it’s the purpose of all the candidates.

‘A situation where you’re not performing well in training. Moreover, the competitor who followed is doing better than you.’

It’s enough to twist one’s guts.

Moreover, he’s still around 14 years old.

This world treats kids harshly.

Even so, he’s still like a middle school student in Korea.

It’s understandable that he reacts emotionally like that.

‘I understand, but I won’t be considerate.’

I’m someone who gives my best even if the opponent is much younger than me.

I took a break from university and worked as a coach in the gym.

Whether it was an elementary school student or a middle school student, I did my best.

‘Hmm…. A lot of kids cried because of that incident. Come to think of it, I’m younger than Lindel here, right?’

I won’t handle it like Kale.

Let’s hear more of the story; fundamentally, they weren’t bad guys.

It’s not on Kale’s level.

‘Boys naturally grow up fighting.’

In that case, let’s lay out a stage for a big fight.

***

The afternoon class happened to be Sparring.

Is it really because of inferiority complex?

Or is there another reason?

I’m thinking of bursting out that emotion and story at once.

Eliza didn’t attend the afternoon training.

It’s fortunate.

Because I’m going to explode another major event today.

It won’t be as big as the one with Kale.

Anyway, it won’t be good to keep leaving an impression on Eliza’s mind.

Before the start of Sparring.

We prepared with lightly armaments as in the morning.

Richard, holding a sword, immediately aimed at Argon.

A moderately noisy and quiet preparation time.

I subtly raised my hand.

Gawain, who commands the training, spotted me.

“What is it?”

“I request a trial duel.”

A trial duel.

It’s a simple method of settling disputes with force.

It’s like those well-groomed noble men who say, ‘You insulted me and my family’s honor. Let’s fight for each other’s honor!’ and engage in a fight.

Even in this training camp, disputes can be settled in that way.

Usually, they don’t bother.

It seemed like an abrupt proposal, Gawain’s reaction was delayed.

“To whom should I make the request?”

“Senior Lindel from room 13, 12th batch.”

Lindel’s face showed surprise.

Of course.

He must have been planning to request me first.

He probably meant ‘let’s see later.’

Gawain probably won’t refuse.

A duel close to real combat is always a good lesson just to watch.

Above all, I’m a candidate favored by Eliza.

There’s no need to oppose it.

‘It’s not exactly favorable.’

… Could he refuse since it’s my first duel today?

“From the first Sparring to a trial duel. It’ll be a good example in many ways.”

There was no such thing. Fortunately

But what does ‘in many ways’ mean?

Does this gentleman also find me disagreeable?

“Lindel, will you accept the duel?”

Lindel can’t refuse.

Refusal means fleeing, and regardless of the truth, it means admitting and taking responsibility for his own sins.

“… Yes. I’ll do it.”

Lindel said, looking at me as if chewing on something.

Right after that, someone unexpectedly raised their hand.

“I also request a trial duel.”

It was Richard.

Gawain nodded again this time.

Without waiting, Richard aimed his sword at someone.

“Argon, you and me.”

Me and Lindel.

Richard and Argon.

Each was prepared for a trial duel.

Fighting with a sword and shield is a first.

Even if it’s a fake made of wood for training.

It’s completely different from the movement repetition training we did in the morning.

This is a real duel.

I sincerely fought from the first sparring.

But the situation of ‘competing’ with someone under specific rules is too familiar to me.

In my past life, I fought with someone annoyingly.

Although the sport is completely different, that experience cannot be ignored.

I’m overflowing with confidence.