The Good Family
The attempt to Extraction Dou Qi has failed.
Because Dou Qi originates from Eastern martial arts, it is theoretically a form of physical energy, which is fundamentally different from the mage's method of using mental energy to create fireballs to attack people.
It travels within the body, acting on the body, resonating with the muscles, causing the body to unleash extremely powerful forces, enabling things that ordinary people cannot do, such as parrying, stealth kills, Musou attacks, New Year's greetings, yiya, power surges, and transformations.
Simply put, it's used to buff warriors.
This raises a question.
Even a warrior with buffs is still a warrior. Even if their Dou Qi explodes, they still have to wield a large blade to slash, only their slashes are more powerful and spectacular.
Dou Qi cannot be projected outwards.
At least at the level of a knight, this is impossible.
Trying to kill enemies by releasing Dou Qi from the body is not only extremely costly, but also inefficient. The Dou Qi blades you unleash will dissipate after flying only a few meters. It's better to just jump over and slash a few times. What's the point?
Kang De expressed his understanding of this.
This is very much like a martial arts story; most people are just extras wielding swords and knives, and exchanging blows is the privilege of the strong.
Since the knight couldn't control his Dou Qi from leaving his body, he also tried placing his hand on Cleveland's shoulder, attempting to use his mental power to bind and capture the Dou Qi.
And then it failed.
He couldn't grasp that ethereal energy; what was enveloped by the spiritual power was the knight's shoulder. Cleveland immediately felt a strong unease, and an instinctive feeling of resistance arose in his heart. As soon as he made a slight movement to resist, Kang De felt a sharp pain in his head and quickly let go.
So the matter was dropped and left unresolved.
Kang De then continued his sparring training with the knights, mainly focusing on improving his physical reaction abilities.
--Of course, that happened a few days later.
That day, while chatting with Tina, I gained some insights and decided to seek out the knight for a duel to verify them. However, the princess unexpectedly lost her temper and then, through a combination of coquetry and force, insisted that Kang De stay. She was even willing to be a guinea pig once again, letting Kang De Extraction and analyze her magic.
I have absolutely no idea why Tina suddenly changed like this.
Women are indeed hard to understand.
But it didn't matter; Kang De didn't lose out at all, and he even got to see the beautiful girl blush and make strange noises—by all accounts, he came out ahead.
As for finding a knight to test our skills, let's postpone that for another day.
Another day.
Right now.
In the cabin specially set aside for combat training, with a thud, Kang De and Cleveland fell to the ground simultaneously; this wrestling match ended in a draw.
"The progress is obvious."
The two helped each other to their feet, and the knight smiled and said, "Kang De's physical attributes are very strong, far surpassing mine without the enhancement of Dou Qi. However, training is even more important. You lack sufficient experience to fully utilize your strength. Once this weakness is addressed, you will improve rapidly."
Kang De smiled.
A fragrant breeze wafted by as Tina ran up to him, handing him a towel and water. "Take a break, Kang De. While practice is important, rest is equally crucial. Short breaks are essential for more efficient practice."
She handed the water to Kang De and then used a towel to wipe Kang De sweat.
Cleveland was left standing there awkwardly. He stood there for a moment, scratching his head, and walked over to the side where there was a box with water and towels.
The princess's targeted coldness left him somewhat bewildered.
But inwardly she admired the wisdom of Bedela's maid.
The head maid told him that if he wanted to help, he should try to get along well with Kang De, chat with him from time to time, and keep him company. He didn't need to ask anything else; just doing that would be enough.
Although I didn't understand what was happening, it was really effective.
Princess Kant now even helps Kang De wipe his face.
However... this feeling of being deliberately ignored made the knight feel a little aggrieved and disappointed.
That's normal, though.
In the presence of men she cares about, she keeps her distance from her knight... Your Highness has reached this point.
He looked at the two people over there and smiled knowingly.
Kang De was a little nervous, a little happy, and a little embarrassed. He turned his head and saw Cleveland's pleased smile. Seeing his friend so happy, Kang De returned a hearty smile.
Then Tina witnessed the two of them looking at each other and smiling.
What a sad story.
And so the days went by.
He might discuss magic with Tina, practice combat with the knights, sometimes go back to chat with the captain and other officers to learn about the world, and sometimes chat with the sailors, telling some risqué jokes.
Everyone likes him.
It wasn't just because of Tina, but also because of Kang De himself.
Men at sea admire the strong, and Kang De has already proven his own strength.
Moreover, he's very rich, speaks very well, and has guts.
The small-scale screenings on deck every night have become a regular feature.
Now, sailors see Kang De as if he were a great sage.
He brought the sweltering heat of Tokyo to the world.
The captain and his crew also enjoyed the candies and wine that Kang De had brought.
Everyone likes him.
In this fulfilling and relaxed life at sea, time passed by, and Kang De even grew accustomed to and fond of it. Sailing freely, doing whatever he wanted, chatting with people when tired, and even having beautiful women to look at—it was truly a very, very comfortable life.
But drifting forever is just a fantasy. This voyage has a purpose, and of course, a destination.
That night, the Penguin convened a meeting of the upper echelons, and Kang De was invited to attend. He sat at the head of the knights, to the right of Princess Tina. He did not understand the etiquette and rules of this other world, but the knights forced him to sit there, and no one present objected.
This meeting is about the Penguin's upcoming destination.
Kang De asked, "Are we almost at the capital?"
This was the final destination he knew of, the capital of the Human Empire, the most magnificent and largest city on the continent, the political and cultural center of all humanity.
Tina was going there to lobby the country's authorities to provide more active assistance to Goth.
The princess shook her head and said, "No, we can't go directly to the capital. First, we've used up a lot of supplies on the ship and need to replenish them. Second, we've made some important gains on the Holy Seal Archipelago, so we can adjust and prepare our plan to seek help from the capital."
She turned and pointed to the nautical chart on the wall. "So, we'll be docking here."
The captain added, "The Glittering Sand Viscounty, the territory of the Good Family, are one of Goth's trading partners and have a good personal relationship with the Taidariel Family. We need to rest and prepare here."
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PS1: Second update...
PS2: Anno 1800 is still worth playing; at least the minor characters have names. (laughs)