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chapter14
Lando’s High Praise
Lando closed his eyes gently.
At that, Meyer fell silent. Vector, too, followed suit.
When Lando opened his eyes again,
Meyer felt a certainty deep in his heart.
“It’s done.”
And Lando parted his heavy lips. At this very moment, he felt for the first time how heavy his lips could be.
But he had to act.
Lando’s eyes glowed a deep, piercing blue.
“I shall comply, young master.”
Even if it weren’t Lando, I am Viktor.
That single statement decisively moved Lando’s heart. Meyer had already merged with Viktor. Until now, it had been gradual, but after today, Meyer was recognized by the soldiers as a comrade.
Lando had no right to say otherwise.
There is only one Viktor.
No matter the status, no matter the rank, that was what mattered most.
Above all, it was Lando who had made Viktor what he was and demanded that they become one.
If Lando were to reject Meyer, then the very principle upon which Viktor had been built would waver. Perhaps, from the beginning, Lando had no other choice.
“Then!!!”
“For the next three days.”
Lando said to Meyer.
“For the next three days, I will visit you at this hour. During the daily schedule, Viktor’s training will proceed as usual. Is that acceptable?”
For a hundred days, Meyer had struggled alone. Only now had he reached a point where he could keep up. But no matter how difficult, he could not miss this golden opportunity.
“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”
He could not miss the chance to receive instruction from Lando, a four-star knight. Meyer nodded.
“Even if my body turns to dust, I will do it.”
Lando gave a faint smile at Meyer’s resolve.
“You must follow closely. Only then can you inherit the undefeated name with your own hands, young master.”
“Yes, sir!”
“Very well.”
Lando rose from his seat.
“Let us begin.”
Lando’s instruction began immediately. Meyer jumped to his feet.
In the garden, under the watchful eyes of his adjutant Vector, Lando and Meyer faced each other. The annex garden, where grass and weeds grew in chaotic abundance, had once been a rose garden in full bloom.
It had even been called the Rose Annex, but now the distinction between roses and weeds was lost in disarray.
Lando surveyed the garden and grasped the sword at his waist.
“A bit of tidying may be necessary.”
Swish—!!!
What Meyer saw was a light so bright it seemed like midday. In the blink of an eye, the radiance vanished into Lando’s scabbard.
And then…
Swish
Meyer’s eyes widened.
A single sword.
Lando drew his sword as if playing, swinging it through the weeds and brambles that cluttered the rose garden, cutting them cleanly.
With the space cleared, Lando turned to Meyer.
“Nankōken. How far can you unleash it?”
Meyer scratched his head.
“Embarrassingly, I haven’t used it even once since that day.”
That day referred to when he had defeated Morgan with the Nankōken. Meyer had realized then that attempting to wield Nankōken with his unfinished body would shorten his lifespan, so he never practiced it afterward.
Also, he had no time to train in swordsmanship separately while keeping up with Viktor’s training.
“Well done.”
Lando did not scold Meyer; he praised him.
“A sword learned alone tends to develop bad habits. And when creating a new form, a blank slate is often better.”
Lando placed his hand on the hilt. Meyer inhaled sharply.
Crazy… what kind of person…
Iron Wall.
Even just by revealing a bit of his aura, Lando became an unbreakable fortress. Those facing him likely swallowed their frustration and knelt.
Then Lando’s eyes glinted dangerously.
“Three days are too short to teach you the essence of Nankōken. So…”
Lando’s gaze was predatory, making Meyer’s hand tremble on his sword. Foreboding rarely misses.
“Learn with your body, young master.”
Lando’s sword flashed.
Flash—!
Clang!
“Ah!”
The sword slipped from Meyer’s hand, tracing an arc and falling behind him. Meyer grabbed his trembling hand with the other and stepped back to pick it up.
But then…
Thud—!
Lando, having moved silently, kicked Meyer with the sole of his foot. Meyer stumbled backward comically, landing like a frog.
Clack!
Lando held his long sword above Meyer, speaking in an even tone.
“Trying to block an enemy’s attack by simply meeting their blade is a poor strategy. If your opponent is skilled or stronger, you will lose your weapon—and your life—immediately.”
“Yes, Sir Lando.”
“But your judgment was sound. Going forward, practice body techniques alongside swordsmanship.”
Dropping a weapon and having the enemy wait is impossible in real combat. That is why body techniques are essential for a knight.
A knight in full armor, even without a weapon, becomes a formidable weapon if their body techniques are proficient.
“Let’s continue.”
“Yes, sir.”
Meyer, covered in dirt, gritted his teeth and rose. Vector clicked his tongue at Meyer’s perseverance.
“Fierce… truly fierce.”
Three days may be short, but hoping for drastic improvement in swordsmanship in that time is unrealistic.
Yet Meyer did not waste a single second.
“Did he sleep three hours a day? Two?”
Vector, who had spent late nights following Lando in the annex, watched Meyer and clicked his tongue again.
For Lando or Vector, such endurance was normal. They had survived years on two or three hours of sleep while moving through battlefields.
But Meyer had been a frail, imprisoned young master until recently.
Even so, he had earned recognition as Viktor in just 100 days. Seeing Meyer’s relentless effort, it became clear why he achieved that in so short a time.
“Unbelievably relentless.”
Watching Meyer was like standing at the edge of a cliff. Vector secretly smiled at the sight.
“Being a noble is hard, especially at times like this.”
Seeing the young master struggle desperately for survival inspired respect.
Thud-thud!
After Meyer rolled on the ground for the fifty-eighth time, Lando lowered his sword.
“Today ends here.”
“Th-thank you, Sir Lando.”
Meyer, covered in dust, barely lifted his head to salute Lando and then collapsed. Lando sheathed his sword.
“To truly grasp Nankōken, you will need much real combat. Remember, mastering the form does not mean mastering all of Nankōken.”
“Yes, sir.”
Meyer lay sprawled, chest rising and falling heavily. Lando turned sharply and left the annex.
Vector followed, smiling bitterly.
“A man who truly doesn’t change.”
That was Lando’s charm. That was why he and Viktor would willingly risk their lives for him.
No matter the criticism, Lando walked his own path steadfastly. Yet watching how he treated Meyer stirred a strange feeling in Vector.
“Has he grown fond of him?”
Meyer called Viktor a comrade. Vector was part of that Viktor.
So it seemed Lando had grown somewhat attached as well. Seeing Meyer struggle so relentlessly made it unavoidable.
“Sir, why do you treat him so harshly?”
Lando taught Meyer only swordsmanship. Like a strict instructor, he pushed Meyer mercilessly during the day, exhausting him.
Lando glanced at Vector.
“It is not harshness.”
“Even after pushing the young master so?”
“Yes.”
Lando looked at Meyer sprawled in the annex garden.
“It is to keep him from falling into pride.”
“Pride…”
“Young Master Meyer…”
Vector’s eyes widened slightly at Lando’s oddly phrased praise. Lando rarely gave empty compliments; he spoke only the truth.
“He learned Nankōken by merely watching my sword. His body cannot execute it fully yet, but still…”
A spark of admiration flickered in Lando’s otherwise stoic eyes.
“Considering only skill, I cannot fathom how I failed to recognize Young Master Meyer’s talent until now.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
That was high praise. Vector, hearing this, asked cautiously,
“Then, tomorrow’s duel with Baek-eung…”
Lando resumed his walk.
“No need to see it. We are Viktor.”
Isaac Deren placed his hand casually on Mactomini’s shoulder.
“Hard to believe you come from commoners.”
Mactomini was fifteen but already nearly Isaac’s height, with broader shoulders.
Mactomini’s eyes burned with determination.
“Win. If you win, I will take you as my squire and make you a knight within three years.”
Isaac whispered to Mactomini.
Becoming a knight’s squire was a rare, precious opportunity for a commoner. Knights were semi-nobility, respected even by full nobles.
Mactomini clenched his fists.
“I will win overwhelmingly.”
He knew his opponent was the lord’s son, but that made the opportunity all the more precious.
Confident, he could overpower a young master who had just begun learning the sword without a scratch.
Mactomini trusted his own strength. Even fully exerted, adults had never bested him in simple strength contests.
Though retired now, his talent had once drawn the eye of an old knight. When the knight died, Mactomini gave up his ambitions and became an ordinary soldier.
Yet talent cannot stay hidden. Rumors of Mactomini’s skill reached Isaac.
Isaac discreetly summoned him.
“No burden in this choice. If he causes trouble, he’s a commoner—deal with it and it’s done.”
Isaac brought Mactomini to use him and discard him, but Mactomini saw this as his chance to change his life.
Then Meyer appeared at the training ground. The duel would take place at the Baek-eung Knight Order’s field. The nobles had ensured commoner Viktor could not enter, so no cheers greeted him.
Meyer paid no mind.
Tap, tap, tap
He crossed the field silently and stopped in the center, glancing at Mactomini.
“Go.”
“Yes, Sir Knight.”
Mactomini, urged by Isaac, thumped his chest and charged forward with a roar.
And Meyer spoke.
“Ho.”
[Mactomini: ★★☆☆☆]
The nameplate above Mactomini’s head caught Meyer’s eye.
