Chapter 376

The masters of Landenburg were mostly men in their 30s.

Perhaps it was because that age was the peak for a knight.

“The eighth sword, Yan Ridel.”

Yan Ridel was a man who looked so gloomy that just seeing him made one feel down.

His hair, long enough to cover his eyes, was a dull blue like half-rotten mushrooms, and his sunken eyes made him look almost like a corpse.

His hollow cheeks with pale skin looked as if they were just skin stretched over bones. With a black hood pulled low, he looked like someone who belonged in a graveyard. Yet, he was tall as a beanpole.

Is this guy really a knight? He looks more like some evil sorcerer.

“Uh… are you sick or something?”

Yan didn’t answer, just slightly shook his head and stepped back. Whether he was just quiet or shy, it was hard to tell.

As if to replace him, another master approached me.

A blond, green-eyed man with a spear on his back. His name was Michel Lambert, right?

He was the knight who led the knights alongside Nigel when Amin and Havar’s armies invaded. I think he was the sixth sword or something.

Michel approached with an awkward smile, gave me a light greeting, then slightly bent down and whispered in my ear.

“My apologies. Yan wasn’t always like that… Ever since he lost his wife, he hasn’t been able to shake off his depression.”

Ah, the death of his wife. That explains it. His sickly appearance made sense now.

Even in the original world, it wasn’t uncommon for someone who lost their spouse to become a wreck.

“That’s unfortunate… Judging by his age, it must have been due to illness or an accident. I should pray for her soul.”

“Huh? Oh, there’s been a misunderstanding. He didn’t lose her to death.”

Michel shook his head as if to say, “That’s not what I meant.”

“Wait, you said he lost his wife, but it wasn’t death…? What do you mean?”

In response to my question, Michel gave a bitter smile and glanced at Yan. Oh no, don’t tell me…

“…The tragedy happened on the day Yan returned home after finishing a monster subjugation mission.”

Michel lowered his voice and whispered in a theatrical tone. Just from the introduction, I could already guess what happened.

“Yan, returning four days earlier than expected, imagined how surprised and happy his wife would be. He even bought a jeweled necklace and a bouquet of flowers to bring home.”

“…They must have been close.”

“Yes. He loved his wife dearly. I heard they were childhood sweethearts. I never met her myself, but I heard she was a beauty famous throughout their hometown.”

Childhood sweethearts, huh. It reminded me of Damien and Milia.

“Yan always worked tirelessly for his wife, showering her with gifts. He probably planned to do the same that day. If only he hadn’t returned four days early…”

Michel, this guy, would’ve made a better storyteller than a knight. His way of controlling the tone and building tension was exceptional. I found myself unconsciously anticipating the rest of the story.

“And when Yan quietly entered their bedroom, filled with their memories, he saw it…! A scene so horrifying and cruel it defied description! His wife, entangled with another man, whispering sweet nothings!”

Michel widened his eyes, mimicking a shocked expression.

“Moreover, the man with his wife was no stranger. It was none other than a fellow townsman…! A man named Rick, known for his violent temper and treated as a thug in their hometown, was there with his wife! And in a very passionate manner!”

“Uh… that’s… unfortunate.”

A childhood sweetheart wife taken by a hometown thug. Yeah, seeing that would drive anyone mad.

“Exactly! A tragedy! Stunned by the sight of the two gasping, Yan froze like a stone. The jeweled necklace in his hand fell to the ground, making a sharp sound. The two, startled, turned to see Yan staring at them with a hardened expression…! Can you guess what happened next?”

“…Did he draw his sword?”

If it were me, I’d have cut the bastard down first.

“It was worse! When Yan regained his senses from the rage, all that remained on the bed was a pile of meat sliced into finger-sized pieces…! It was a divorce stained with blood. That day, Yan lost his wife and became the gloomy man you see now.”

What a tragic story.

—

I was at a loss for words after hearing such a heart-wrenching tale of tragedy.

It’s a good thing Milia would never do something like that.

“That’s tragic.”

Honestly, it’s a common story. It’s not rare for a soldier’s spouse to cheat while they’re away.

Even in the original world, such incidents often led to suicides or murders. About 40% of those cases were due to love affairs.

“Indeed. A tragedy. Since that day, Yan hasn’t been able to speak properly in front of women…”

Just as Michel was about to continue the story…

“Enough.”

A low voice interrupted, and a heavy piece of metal was thrown toward Michel. It was the greatsword of Yan, the protagonist of this cruel love tragedy.

“Whoa…!”

Michel, startled, twisted his body to dodge the sword and stepped back. The sword flew past and embedded itself in the training ground floor.

“That’s enough.”

Yan, frowning with displeasure, walked toward us with heavy steps.

He must have heard everything… Should I apologize? It’s a painful memory for him, and we stirred it up.

I scratched the back of my head and apologized to Yan, who was looking down at me.

“Uh… I ended up digging into your personal life. I’m sorry about your wife. But, someday, you’ll find a better…”

“…I’m unmarried.”

…What?

Wait, what did you say?

“Unmarried? Michel said…”

“It’s a lie. He’s always like that.”

Yan glared at Michel, who stepped back with an annoyed expression. Wait, so that tragic affair story was all a lie? That guy’s?

I looked at Michel in disbelief, and when our eyes met, he grinned and gave me a thumbs-up.

“Haha. But wasn’t it interesting?”

This guy’s insane.

—

Yan, like Damien, wielded a greatsword, but unlike Damien, he didn’t fly around. Instead, he used the centrifugal force of his sword to spin and deliver continuous attacks.

Michel was just a typical spearman. Being a master, he could charge with his lance even without a horse.

Asha would probably want to take him as her teacher with such a perfect charge. Though he did get knocked down by a counter punch.

The last one arrived at the training hall after the sparring with the other two was over.

“My apologies for delaying your time, Count. There was an urgent matter I had to report to the Marquis…”

“If it’s because of work, it can’t be helped. So, who are you?”

“Ah, my apologies. I’m William. Though my skills are lacking, I’m called the third sword of Landenburg.”

William greeted me with a knight’s courtesy. He had a noble appearance with a well-groomed mustache.

The two axes at his waist didn’t quite match the noble image, though.

“By the way… Sir Lambert’s condition looks particularly miserable.”

William glanced at Michel, who was huddled in a corner receiving treatment.

Miserable, huh? Well, his leg was broken, and his face was smashed…

“Did he commit some offense against you, Count?”

“The crime of insolence.”

Where did he get off lying to me like that? The whole story about Yan’s wife was just a well-crafted joke by Michel.

In reality, Yan had never been married or even had a lover. His quiet nature was just his personality.

Even his corpse-like appearance was due to overwork.

I punched him in the face for being so naive. I didn’t plan to go that far, but Hersela kept teasing me in my head.

“I see. The crime of insolence… It suits Sir Lambert well.”

William nodded in agreement, as if this wasn’t the first time Michel had done something like this.

Well, his mouth was a problem, but his skills weren’t bad. Unlike Nigel, who performed acrobatic spear techniques, Michel’s spear skills were orthodox and had much to learn.

My specialty is swords, not spears, but it wouldn’t hurt to learn some spear techniques.

—

William was stronger than I expected.

Though not a barbarian warrior, he wielded his twin axes like a madman. The movements of his arms were so dazzling it felt like fighting one against two.

He even broke through the tentacles and chains I created with my life force using just his axes.

In the end, I grabbed both his arms holding the axes and headbutted him into unconsciousness.

Fighting is all about using your head.

—

The sparring continued for days, with blood splattering and bones breaking—though not mine.

The next to arrive was the seventh sword, Hayden, alone.

I was worried since Heinrich from Dane was supposed to come next, but he never showed up. I thought he might have refused to spar out of resentment or dissatisfaction, but when I asked Nigel, he said that wasn’t the case.

“He’s just had a son. The Marquis granted him special leave to care for his wife at their residence.”

“Hmm… That’s something to celebrate.”

In these perilous times, it’s surprising he’s allowed to stay home just because he had a son, but it’s his first child after 22 years of marriage, so I can understand.

At that point, he probably can’t see anything but his son.

Ah, Hayden was the dual-wielding knight I met before. He had a somewhat frivolous personality, as his appearance suggested.

As soon as he saw me, he said it was an honor to serve such a beautiful successor.

His skills were… just okay. Not weak, but William’s twin axes were on a whole different level.

—

After spending half a month here, a change finally came.

It was unexpected good news. Blake’s scouting party, sent to investigate outside the barrier, had captured a Ka`har and returned with them as a prisoner.