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chapter 30
The goal was to make him painfully understand what it meant to be “rolled and tossed around.” It was as if to say he shouldn’t even dream of becoming a knight with half-hearted intentions, and so Angelo was pushed to his limits.
Watching from behind, Angela tapped her small feet anxiously. She understood why Lynette was pushing him so hard, but she couldn’t help worrying that her little brother might get hurt. She hoped that he would give up on the idea of going to the knight academy—even now. Yet, Angelo’s determination remained unwavering.
Twice a day, during the cool mornings and evenings, he had to run at full speed. The seven-year-old Angelo vividly felt what it meant for his heart to nearly jump out of his chest.
Usually, Lynette was like an angel, but in these moments, she transformed into a demon. Her wide, fierce eyes would sweep over Angelo with terrifying intensity.
“By the way… he’s only seven. Can he even enter the knight academy?”
“Hm? Ah! Right. The knight academy accepts students starting at eight. I completely forgot,” Lynette replied.
For a moment, Angela nearly stumbled in surprise.
But Lynette didn’t seem to care at all. She continued to time Angelo’s runs, measuring not just his long-distance endurance but also his explosive short-distance strength.
When the shop was quiet, Angelo had to keep rolling, running, and pushing himself even harder. Angela began to wonder if this was really the type of training done at the knight academy. Even if Lynette knew someone who had attended, she probably wouldn’t know the details to this extent.
“Angela, watch the shop for a bit,” Lynette said.
Angela could now make coffee fairly well, though she couldn’t do advanced latte art. So Lynette left the shop in her care and walked off somewhere.
❅
“What brings you here? Shopping for kitchen knives, perhaps?”
A man glanced at Lynette and then at the display of knives. Lynette shook her head.
“No, I want to see wooden swords.”
“Wooden swords? Those aren’t even convenient for self-defense… why…! Ugh!”
Thud!
The man cried out as if a rotten apple had dropped and smashed on the floor. He bent forward, held the back of his head, glared back, then quickly retreated.
“Father! Why are you suddenly appearing and hitting the back of my head?”
“You brat! I’ve told you countless times not to shove kitchen knives at a lady. Do you want to be skewered by one?”
“Then, Father, if it’s not kitchen knives or silver daggers, what else do women need?”
“Goodness! How narrow-minded young men can be… tsk tsk. Miss, did you say you wanted to see wooden swords?”
It seemed the father was more open-minded than his son.
“Yes. I want something small, for a child. Preferably reinforced with a metal core.”
The shop owner brought a wooden sword. Lynette swung it a few times, seemingly effortless, and nodded in satisfaction.
“This seems suitable. I’d also like to see one more wooden sword, adult-sized.”
After buying two wooden swords, Lynette left the shop with a satisfied smile. As the owner followed her inside, the son ran up.
“This lady… seems skilled in swordsmanship.”
“Of course. I used to come here often. If it weren’t for certain circumstances… I’d have become quite the formidable woman by now…”
❅
Out of breath, Angelo received the wooden sword from Lynette. It wasn’t an ordinary wooden sword; it felt quite heavy.
“From now on, you must practice vertical and horizontal strikes with this sword every day. Since it’s your first time, let’s start with 200 strikes. Fix your posture first.”
Swinging a heavy wooden sword wasn’t just tedious—it was exhausting. His whole body shook uncontrollably.
“How can you hope to enter the knight academy if you can’t even endure this? This week is 200 strikes, next week will be 300.”
Lynette left Angelo swinging the sword alone in the backyard while she went inside. Angela peeked through the window, anxious, and fidgeted as she worked.
“Do we really have to do this?”
“Of course. Did you think he could just lift a sword without any strength? He’d only get hurt if we tried that.”
He needed basic muscle strength to even hold the sword. At the academy, he’d train with heavier swords. This was just the foundation.
“Most kids entering the academy already know how to read. You’ll handle his studies, Angela.”
“Don’t worry. I’ve been teaching him as I learned myself.”
Every time Angela studied with Lynette, she’d go home and teach Angelo as well. He could already take dictation fairly well.
“That’s good. If he couldn’t read, he’d be an easy target at the academy.”
Lynette smiled slightly.
“Now we just need to work on strength, endurance, and stamina—provided Angelo keeps up, of course.”
As she served coffee to customers, Lynette’s sly smile appeared when they smiled at the rich aroma.
“Work outside my usual duties seems to be picking up,” she mused.
At that moment, Angelo, freshly having swung the sword 200 times, flinched at her gaze—like a predator eyeing its prey. He forced a small smile.
“You’re supposed to be the strongest in the neighborhood, but your stamina’s pathetic. Go home and rest. And remember—you’ll still run in the evening and morning.”
Angelo, exhausted and wanting nothing more than to collapse at home, lowered his head.
“You can give up now, if you want,” Lynette said.
“I… can’t,” he replied.
“Just know it’ll be several times harder at the academy. If you can’t endure this, better to quit early.”
“I won’t. I’ll do everything. It’s better than being cold, hungry, and sleepless before,” Angelo said firmly.
To support him, Lynette visited her maternal grandparents after work. She told Catherine through Angela.
“Oh! Lynette, what brings you here? I’ve missed you…”
“Do you still have the textbooks that Kashi used at the academy?”
“Of course, but why? Do you need them now?”
“Not for me. Can I take them?”
Conrad sighed quietly, understanding she hadn’t come to see him. Soon he brought all the textbooks from the unoccupied room. Lynette used the Count Florence carriage to carry the massive amount.
“You’re giving these to Angelo?”
“Yes, he should learn in advance.”
Unlike a perfectionist, Lynette rarely cared about such things, but here she showed intense interest. Catherine smiled bitterly, then wished Angelo well.
❅
After running and practicing, Angelo had no choice but to sit and endure Lynette’s lessons. Angela hoped he wouldn’t give up and would push through. She couldn’t feed him as much meat as he wanted to recover stamina.
Exhausted, Angelo struggled to listen. Seeing him struggle, Lynette shook her head. She couldn’t give a child coffee either.
“Angela, pick up a prepared chicken on the way home and a small amount of herbs from the apothecary.”
“Yes!”
Angela delivered the items promptly. Lynette boiled the chicken with garlic, salt, and herbs, and handed it to Angela after work.
“Take it home and share it with your brother. I don’t like seeing him so weak he can’t even twist a chicken neck.”
“Yes, understood.”
With the heavy pot in hand, Angela headed home.
“You’re all working so hard just to survive,” Lynette thought, smiling at the memory of Angela scavenging for survival. She sipped coffee in the evening, reflecting.
“One month… just one month left.”
A month remained before Angelo could register at the academy. Whatever happened next was his responsibility.
“Who am I worrying about? I barely have time for myself… Oh, right. Sian was like a knight. Would he have helped?”
Probably not, since they never really spoke openly. Lynette shook her head.
For a month, she pushed Angelo relentlessly, even testing his reflexes to dodge her wooden sword swings.
When the month ended, Lynette handed him a piece of paper—the admission form. Angelo either had to submit it himself or have someone deliver it.
“Write your name here…”
Angelo’s hand trembled as he tried to write neatly.
“Filling this out doesn’t mean your admission is guaranteed. Go home and wait,” Lynette said, sending him off. She immediately went to the academy herself.
“It’s been years since I last came here.”
Dreams long faded, Lynette carried the form to the principal’s office, intending to submit it regardless.
“It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”
“Principal, it’s been a long time,” Lynette said, handing over the form.
“He’s only seven. Is this even possible?”
“Normally, no.”
“But please make an exception. He’s built well and won’t quit early. We’ve trained him so he can endure the start.”
“That’s the only reason you came here after so long?”
Lynette smiled gently.
“I didn’t know what to say, but I think he can fulfill the dream in my stead.”
“Is his wrist okay?”
“Yes, fully healed. And I still have my left hand, so it’s fine. I’ll wait for the result now.”
Bowing politely, Lynette left the admission form and turned away without hesitation.
The principal shook his head, then noticed a figure through the swaying curtain.
“He came as instructed… but will you really allow it?”
The window flung open, curtains fluttering. Watching Lynette leave, he smiled kindly.
“Of course. Whether he can endure or not is the student’s responsibility. Send him the admission permit.”
