Turning Point (6)
'Something's definitely off here, isn't it?'
When the reckless Leonardo Ertinez began training the reserve knights—an ambiguous group mostly consisting of apprentice knights or those on probation—there was a growing sense of unease.
The apprentice knight muttered to himself.
This morning, as per the new training regimen, he had woken up at the crack of dawn to fetch water, not in the usual easy, casual manner, but with a heavy bucket on his shoulders, trudging step by step with sweat pouring down despite the chilly air.
Even as the cold morning wind cut through him, the apprentice knight couldn't shake his doubts. This reckless, lazy second son of the Ertinez family—who was always drunk and sprawled out around the castle like some ragged laundry—had suddenly become such a strict and demanding instructor?
What was even more baffling was the way his once unruly, reluctant comrades, now as docile as sheep led by a seasoned herder, had been utterly subdued by this very same reckless man.
'What is going on here?'
There were no loud reprimands, and it wasn't like he was torturing anyone like a grill over a fire!
The young nobleman, once the reckless second son, now seemed oddly experienced—like a seasoned general commanding the apprentices with expertise that didn't match his age. It was completely baffling.
Moreover, it wasn't just about issuing commands and watching from the sidelines. He joined in the training himself, moving his body several times more than any of the other apprentices. There was nothing to criticize.
The reckless second son, who carried several heavy brass urns filled with water, showed no sign of fatigue as he repeatedly curled and uncurled his thumb while maintaining a stoic expression. At times, he seemed almost otherworldly.
If this was some accomplishment achieved during his time away from the castle, it would be astonishing. But if it was something he'd been capable of all along, then why had he acted like a hopeless fool? It made no sense. And to make matters worse, if anyone let their attention wander or tried to slack off even for a moment…
"Focus."
He'd catch them instantly, as if reading their minds, making it impossible to slip up. Some knights even joked that it felt like they'd be monitored even while breathing—like they were under constant surveillance.
"One poor soul is stuck with him," someone muttered.
"His lover?"
"Well, you know, there's that rumour going around about his commoner lover. Apparently, he picked them up while he was away, and now they've somehow ended up here with him."
"Ah."
"The rumours have been spreading a bit too much lately. At first, I thought maybe the lover had some kind of ulterior motive, following him here willingly, but… honestly, it looks like that reckless second son dragged them in, no doubt about it."
The apprentice knight paused, reflecting on the various rumours circulating about the second son of the Ertinez family in the castle. There were so many different versions, and it was hard to tell which one was being referenced.
For instance, there was a rather popular bet among the castle staff, based on the sudden rise of a new rumour that the second son—once the reckless troublemaker—had been secretly playing at being the devoted lover to a commoner. The odds were overwhelmingly in favour of 'The reckless one is being tamed by the commoner.'
"Listen, no one knew about his true nature back in the castle, right? So, the lover must be just as clueless. They're definitely the one who got caught up in this."
"Huh."
The apprentice knight recalled the commoner lover who would often visit the training grounds. They would come with a smile, bringing refreshing cool water and light meals made of thin bread filled with fresh vegetables and meat—ideal for the knights to snack on between training bouts.
Whenever the lover arrived, the second son, who had just been knocking out a dozen knights with ease in the training sparring, would suddenly become quiet and docile, like a completely different person.
"Looks like you've got a lot of free time on your hands. If you're bored, I can always give you a match."
The voice, calm and composed, dropped like a heavy weight, and the knights' thoughts instantly froze in place. That was the second son, standing behind them with a blade in hand, his demeanour as collected as always.
As if everything they'd been whispering had been heard. The knights felt a chill run down their spines, but before they could even react, a wave of guilt washed over them. It wasn't just the words; it was the quiet confidence in his presence that unsettled them even more.
They had no idea how they had become the prey in this situation. The second son—who had been the reckless, careless troublemaker in their eyes—had swiftly shifted gears and now, with little effort, was asserting his dominance in a way that neither they nor their egos were prepared for. The same man who had been underestimated now towered over them, calm and ruthless, like a predator waiting for them to make a move.
And no one was prepared to take that challenge.
***
[Troop List – Trainee Knight No. 11: (Currently screaming...)]
[Troop List – Trainee Knight No. 23: (Creating rumours of "The Madman in Sheep's Clothing"….)]
Hmm. What exactly is Leonardo doing to handle the knights?
It's almost absurd to see the knights crying out and screaming every day in the troop list, yet their loyalty steadily rises. I sometimes wonder if this is… some sort of brotherhood formed through brawls?
With a complicated feeling, I glance at the air and begin walking.
"Ah, boss!"
"Yeah, yeah. It looks like you're doing well, huh?"
Today was a day for casually checking out the back alleys of El Dante. I entered a building that used to be a gambling hall, where the accountant and tavern manager greeted me. It seemed they were busy working out the pricing for the tavern's special menu for the day.
After they exchanged a few words, saying they'd call me if they needed help, I slowly made my way to the second floor of the inn. From the narrow window, I could see the alleyways of El Dante.
If it were before, gamblers would have been passed out under the eaves of the alleys. There were no debt collectors running around during the day, and the gangsters had vanished, so the street felt oddly opened up, as if something that had been blocked was now cleared away. It wasn't dramatic, but there was definitely change.
On the first day I remodeled the building, which had once been the hideout of the kidnappers and a gambling hall, into an inn, I had more or less succeeded in recreating the first business venture I shared with Sinistra.
As I stared at the fluttering lavender curtains, lost in thought, I silently hoped, 'I hope nothing catches fire here.' Just as that thought crossed my mind, I heard the soft tap-tap-tap of footsteps. It was Vittorio, returning from distributing food to the street urchins. He had large baskets in both hands, filled to the brim.
"Good work."
The baskets were packed with bread, cheese, and fruit. When I asked if they were heavy, he waved me off, as if it was nothing. Had the training been paying off?
Not long after Leonardo began training the remaining knights, Vittorio had joined in and started wielding a sword as well. Due to the height difference, Vittorio stood out among the other trainees, but no one seemed eager to push him out. It wasn't a major disruption, and after all, it had been Leonardo who included him.
After being subdued by Leonardo on the first day, the knights' morale seemed to have dropped significantly, which likely played a part in Vittorio's easy acceptance.
Lately, Vittorio had been eating well, moving around more energetically, and seemed to have grown sturdier. He chattered on about all sorts of things—stories from the street urchins, the movements of hired workers, and other gossip he had picked up from the people running the alleys.
As expected, he was quite knowledgeable about the alleyway dynamics, a role he played well as the leader of the street urchins. Thanks to him, rebuilding an information network around the new inn had been a lot easier.
This building had become a hub for the alley's entertainment, job referrals, information gathering, and a place for those without homes to find shelter—essentially acting as a communication gateway.
In the port city of Sinistra, there were frequent new arrivals and a solid base of regulars, but this place was steadily becoming a key base of operations. Thanks to that, the information network was well-established again. This shift had a significant impact, as evidenced by my immersion in the
The
'What would happen if I were to reach 100% immersion in a persona?'
I briefly considered this thought while staring at the floating window, but it was quickly interrupted by another window that popped up, scattering my musings.
[Scenario Sub-quest Condition Achieved! – Survive the Harassment from the Trainee Knights (1/1)]
This sub-quest, being one that Leonardo handles solo, didn't leave much for me to do. Occasionally, I would cook meals to win favour, much like I did for the other knights in the past, or spread rumours about the changed maniac to boost his 'fame' by utilizing this place.
As expected, in a scenario or quest focused on brute force, there's not much room for me to intervene. This is why I wanted to push my presence early on in the story.
In the end, this sub-quest has come to a close as well.
[As per the achievement, Leonardo's reputation increases. Current reputation score within Ertinez Castle: 1,370 points. +0 points to meet the minimum requirement.]
[Clear condition achieved!]
['Scenario Note #016' has successfully concluded. There are "0 hours 01 minute" remaining until the next scenario note assignment─]
'What? The assignment wait time is only 1 minute?'
That's short. There had been similar cases before, but of course, this time I was outside and temporarily separated from Leonardo. Just as I stopped petting Vittorio, the scenario note appeared in mid-air.
And that's when I understood.
The protagonist for this scenario was someone else. I quickly skimmed through the text floating in the air.
'Main character: Spearman Raul....'
Finally, the time has come for someone who knows Leovald to appear in the story.