Turning Point (5)

Survive.

For a moment, my heart sank, thinking, 'It's barely been long since I faced the monster, and now there's another battle?' I know that repeated fights are a common trait in typical adventure stories. I know this well, but when I think about how violence and struggle always played a major role in Leonardo's life… sometimes…

Forget it. It's not something I can do anything about. It would be great if I could fix it. However, the content of this quest, which initially made my heart sink, was not as bloody as I had feared.

'…..!'

As the incomplete quest window subtly changed, a new word appeared, filling in the missing part at the beginning of 'Survive.'

Main Objective: Survive the harassment from the trainee knights (0/1)

Sub-objectives: 

Assert dominance successfully (0/30)

Secure the loyalty of the knight order (Current loyalty: 1%)

The detailed status of the subjects can be viewed in the [Troop List].

Achievement High: Secure 60% loyalty of the knight order (Reputation +500)

Achievement Medium: Secure 50% loyalty of the knight order (Reputation +300)

Achievement Low: Secure 40% loyalty of the knight order (Reputation +100)

Quest Participant: Leonardo

Sigh. What is this now?

At that moment, Leonardo, as if the conversation had ended, returned inside the fortress. The Count did not follow him and left alone. Since Leonardo would later relay every word of the conversation without missing a single detail, I wasn't particularly anxious.

However, Celestina and Ferdinand weren't like that, and they were curious about what the Count and Leonardo had discussed. It seemed there was no request for secrecy. Leonardo spoke up readily.

"The Count, or rather, Father, is leading the expedition himself. While the main forces leave the castle, they plan to leave behind a separate unit to guard the castle, consisting of the reserve troops, and I've been given the authority to oversee their training."

"Wow."

Celestina covered her mouth in surprise.

"Father gave you control of the troops? Not even the eldest brother, but you? Am I still dreaming…?"

Leonardo calmly added more details.

"He told me to show what I've learned if I've managed to improve my skills in the past month."

Ah. That made things clearer.

Right after the commotion, I had been too preoccupied with other matters, only questioning Leonardo about his sudden illness and quickly moving on. But as time passed, suspicions about the Count's intentions may have quietly started to grow.

Or perhaps it was an attempt to test Leonardo's abilities after briefly witnessing them. Either way, it was finally a quest that could break the perpetual confinement of the fortress. It was a bit disappointing that there didn't seem to be anything I could help with, though.

"So, Leo, does that mean your confinement is lifted?"

"It's limited, but it seems so."

Ferdinand added his thoughts a little late.

"Good for you. If you perform well this time, you might earn Father's recognition."

Though he tried to hide it, there was a subtle air of dejection beneath Ferdinand's calm words.

'…This situation has become quite delicate.'

If the Count leaves the castle under the pretext of leading the expedition, the person responsible for the castle would, without a doubt, be the eldest son, Ferdinand, as the legitimate heir. Yet, instead of him, the authority to train and manage the troops had been given to Leonardo.

Considering that I had already figured out that the Count was someone who deeply cherished his family, I thought this decision might be made with the intention of ensuring Ferdinand's stability for the time being. But, as Celestina had once mentioned, there seemed to be a bit of a misunderstanding between Count Ertinez and Ferdinand.

Ferdinand had guilt about not noticing his mother's illness when the Count was away. He had confessed to Celestina that he felt responsible for not being there when it mattered.

On the other hand, Count Ertinez believed that no one in the family was to blame for the Countess' death, clearly recognizing the true enemy. Instead of revealing the truth, he chose to protect his children by concealing it and keeping his plans secret. Naturally, it made sense that such a rift would have formed between them.

I gazed at Ferdinand with a slightly perplexed feeling, but then reminded myself that he wasn't someone who would suddenly turn into a villain. He had faithfully played the role of a supportive ally up until now, so I decided to reserve judgment for the time being. 

It was around the time that lunch was drawing to a close. I looked down at the table after sending Leonardo and Vittorio to see off the Ertinez siblings. The plates of Celestina and Vittorio, who were in their prime growing years, were completely empty. Even the dish of that little pig, who ate like a hippo despite not being in a growth spurt, was naturally clean. Only Ferdinand's plate had a small amount of food left.

***

Soon after, much like when Ferdinand and his subordinates set off for the expedition, a farewell ceremony for the Count and the expedition he was leading took place.

Celestina stood on tiptoe and tied a handkerchief to Count Ertinez' sword, waving her hand as he left. The Young Count also stood straight, seeing off his father. After the procession of wagons, horses, and knights carrying supplies departed, the sound of the horn faded as the castle gates slammed shut.

Ferdinand let out a deep breath, as if feeling the weight of responsibility settle on his shoulders, and turned around.

"Leonardo. If you go to the knight training grounds, the reserve knights will be waiting for you. You have full command of the training, so do your best. I know you'll do well."

After a few words of encouragement, he briskly headed off toward his office. Even though Leonardo had been given command over the training, there was more to the lord's duties than just the training of the reserve knights, so Ferdinand seemed busy as well.

Leonardo, Vittorio, and I headed toward the direction of the Nidum Tower. Below the knight's dormitory, a wide training ground was well-maintained. It was as expected of a family renowned for its swordsmanship. The number of people lined up in the training ground was about thirty.

However…

'Hmm. This… The reason why the current loyalty is shown as 1% in the quest window is becoming painfully clear.'

Everyone stood with a dissatisfied posture, clearly holding some resentment. It seemed they were upset by the fact that, with the Count and the elite knights away, they were being commanded by none other than the reckless second son. Moreover, when I scanned their faces— they were all people who hadn't been present when Leonardo had shown his skills in the courtyard last time.

Vittorio and I both naturally turned our gazes toward Leonardo.

Instead of worrying, I casually propped my chin and asked, "How do you think this will go?"

He gave a faint smile. Then, in a private conversation between the two of us, his voice lowered, almost as if the words were meant only for me. Although Leonardo's voice was clear, there was an oddly serene resonance to it, almost as if I was hearing the voice of Leovald, one I had never actually heard before.

「I remember the first time I became someone's superior.」

'How was it back then?'

「I was treated well, as the young leader of a humble unit, barely over twenty.」

'But weren't your subordinates all commoners or illegitimate children?'

「That's exactly why they expected an exceptional leader. There was no reason for me to be lenient with mercenaries much younger than them.」

'Ah, I see.'

He walked without hesitation toward the aspiring rebels lined up in the training ground. As he passed by me, he whispered in a voice only I could hear, soft and almost soothing.

「I'm glad I've had some recent real combat experience.」

…Could he be talking about knocking out the thugs in the back alley?

Just as that thought crossed my mind, the reserve knights, noticing Leonardo, exchanged looks and suddenly started running drills, completely ignoring him. In perfect formation, they moved together, leaving Leonardo standing all alone at the back.

"What are they doing…?"

Vittorio, looking up at me as if confused by the situation, asked.

I briefly explained, "They're protesting. They're upset that suddenly Leonardo is in charge of their training. The message is: 'We'll do things our way, leave us alone, and don't interfere.''"

Still, even with their complaint, they seemed to maintain some awareness of their place as they hesitated to outright defy him—an heir of the family they served.

The aspiring rebels paid little mind to Leonardo, who approached a weapons rack in the corner of the training ground, selecting a suitable sword.

I couldn't help but feel a little nervous. I knew what was coming. This was a typical event, one that appeared often in both classic adventure stories and the reckless transmigration genres. It was rare, though, for such a perfectly conventional development in this world, where things usually went off-script.

As Leonardo showed no signs of leaving, the reserve knights finally rebelled.

"What does the young master think he can teach us…?"

In response, Leonardo spoke succinctly.

"If that's how you feel, then I'll ask for the lesson first."

And just like that, a duel began, and as expected, events unfolded just as I had anticipated. One of the junior knights grabbed a sword with a mocking attitude, pretending to be courteous as he sneered, "Do be careful, young master."

Standing tall in the middle of the training ground, Leonardo lightly drew his sword with the scabbard still on, holding it with the flat end of the blade. He struck the knight precisely on the forehead with a sharp thud. The trainee knight stumbled backward, clutching his head in pain.

"All of you can come at me. It'll be faster that way."

Without any overt provocation, Leonardo calmly baited the thirty knights with a serene tone, leaving them no choice but to charge.

The sound of strikes resumed, and the surreal sight of people flying through the air like sheets of paper unfolded before us. The hired hands, who had been bustling on the castle walls, paused from their work, watching the spectacle from a distance and murmuring among themselves.

Vittorio quietly admired the scene. I, too, found myself truly realizing just how much Leonardo had invested in strength, as he single-handedly took on thirty opponents.

For a brief moment, the word "ruthless" from Natalie's journal flashed through my mind, but…

When I saw Leonardo, having defeated all thirty knights, turn toward us with a slight smile, my thoughts disappeared in an instant. How could anyone call him ruthless? Surely it was just a misunderstanding.

I gave a light wave of my hand in response to his smile, and took a moment to gather my thoughts. While, as an audience, I couldn't help but enjoy the unexpected twist in his reckless image, this particular scenario, and the quest it implied, were clearly setting the stage for something much more significant.

The story was like a domino effect, where every action and scene was planned to set up the next. And right now, this story seemed to be subtly pointing toward Leonardo gaining greater fame and creating a knightly order that would pledge loyalty to him. 

Naturally, I couldn't help but anticipate what was coming next. An event was approaching that would likely require a high reputation and a personal army of soldiers to back it up.

'I guess it's about time I start preparing too.'

While Leonardo showcased his prowess, it was my role as a supporting character and ally to fill in the gaps and provide the necessary backing.