The First Job

"A What?" I was confused as Rodrigo's challenge for a duel was made right after knowing each other. "A Duel, Gentleman Alex. I would like to spar with you" he said. But I declined to accept the challenge by saying, "But Sir Rodrigo, I don't know any type of martial arts or anything, neither can I control my mana. And if I fight with you like thus, I'll surely be defeated in a matter of time." Rodrigo wanted to test my powers as my mana burst was felt across the 4 worlds twice now. But he understood me and asked, "Well, if you are interested in becoming strong and also in being able to use mana, would you care to join the army? Considering your mana type, you might be posted in the Black army." I agreed to join in as an guard without a second thought. Rodrigo invited me to the training camp at the Royal Castle. And while leaving, he gave me a letter with his signature on it. When I asked him about it, he said, "No one is allowed to enter the royal premises without the authority's permission. Show this letter to the guards at the gates of the castle yard."

The following day, as per the Rodrigo's directions, I came to the castle, showed the letter with Rodrigo's signature, and entered. One of the guards even escorted me to the training camp where Rodrigo was training the new guards. Besides him, there were two another knights helping him oversee the training. But only one of them was looking strong, and another was, unlike Rodrigo, like a small child around 12-13. The small one was Actually a lady. She was one of the White Knights, White Knight Jeanne D'Ark. The unusual thing about her was, that she didn't had any weapon or shield with her. At first, I thought that this was because we were in the royal premises. But, I later found out that she does this on purpose. She had never killed or even hurt someone no matter how bad the enemy is. She never did it even when she was alive and a knight of the French Army. Jeanne was a Glare-Mana user, which is the opposite of the Dark-Mana. And the another one beside him was one of the Black Knights, Black Knight Edward, he wasn't so friendly with anyone. He kept a broad sword on his right side of his waist, and a Red-Blue shield in his left hand. As Rodrigo introduced him, he said many things about him like, in his glory days in the land of living, his biggest achievement was when he defeated the enemy army of strength more that around 35000 with a comparatively smaller army of just 7000. He was the son of the king Edward of England. And surprisingly, both of them were top candidates for becoming the next Strategist!

And so, I joined the new recruits in their training session. The training consisted of various activities like running with and without extra weights, bare-fisted and weapon based martial arts, and other activities. I, at the end of first day of training, was exhausted to another level, like paralysis. I was unable to move even an muscle. But the kind knight Joanne picked me up and put me on her horse, giving me a free ride to Rose's house. She was the only knight around as she was training and others were on a routine patrol around the town. I casually asked her, "So, knight Jeanne D'Ark, how much training will I need to get promoted to a Knight?" Her answer was quite unexpected, but I was ready for it, "Knight? If you turn out paralyzed on the first day of training due to fatigue, you would need a thousand years of training to be as strong to be called a knight. You know, as for Knight El Cid, he's being training for more than last 900 years in the Borderland. While he was physically strong as he was reincarnated here at first." Listening to this made my self-confidence drop like rain to the very bottom. "Don't let this bother you," she added, "The current king, challenged the former king to a duel. He was reincarnated some 10-15 years ago, while until 7 years ago, he joined the army and trained vigorously and defeated the former king who was undefeated for last 10000years. People who are reincarnated or transported here don't age at all. So, don't let this fatigue bother you. And you can call me Joan."

After a month, I was officially posted as a solder in the Black Army. I, then, started my advanced training for Mana. And just a day after my posting, I was patrolling the market district with Black Knight Rodrigo, as a quick pale young boy ran across the road in front of us. Behind him, was the shop keeper, running to catch him. He was shouting, "Thief! Thief! Somebody catch him! Thief! Thief!" As this was my first day, I started running too, trying to catch the young thief. But the thief was too quick for me to outran by feet. I used some brain and managed cornering him into a back alley, I brought him to Rodrigo, with his legs and arms tied, and he was unhurt. After investigation, we found out that the pale boy was starving from last 4 days, and had a little sister to fed. He was stealing food from last 3 days from the market and feeding her sister while being starved himself. As this information was provided to me, a knife of regret was stabbed in my heart with arrows of guilty pierced in my head. But the real scenario was totally different, Rodrigo took the pale boy to the castle and gave him the job of a janitor there. Not only the job, but he was also given the accommodation facility for him and his sister. The moment I came to know this, the big mountain of guilt and regret was lifted off my heart. It felt like I just saved two lives. The next day, the pale boy came to me and apologized for the trouble and thanked me for catching him! I was never this happy in my life. He said that he will become a solder like me and save lives of poor children, just like I did.