Squire (Part 1)

"Dear Mother, I'm well, and the journey went smoothly. Please don't worry..."

"Hello, my dear brother. Welcome home." Hearing Sean's greeting, his older brother Jamie spoke calmly. His younger sister Julie followed Jamie's words with a greeting of her own. "Hello, Brother Sean." Both of them merely rose slightly as they spoke, then remained seated on the sofa afterward.

Clearly, Jamie and Julie's attitudes displeased their mother, Lady Margaret, as well. She frowned, seeming about to say something. Sean saw what his mother intended, but he did not want her to be upset. He immediately interrupted, "Mother, I would like to take a bath and change clothes first. Please allow me." It had been something he was bound to do anyway; Sean merely used it as an excuse.

Hearing Sean's request, his father, Viscount Winchester, gave him a somewhat surprised look. Lady Margaret's attention was indeed diverted, and she smiled at Sean. "Yes, yes... hurry along. The whole family will have dinner together later." She then instructed the maids to make preparations.

Sean therefore excused himself from his father, brother, and sister before returning alone to his room to bathe and change.

More than half an hour later, Sean returned to the living room in a white Knight uniform made of thick cotton. At that moment, Butler Al was quietly reporting something to Viscount Winchester. The viscount's expression shifted repeatedly between solemnity and surprise.

In Sean's original memories, he had never seen such dramatic changes in his father's expression. When Sean came downstairs, his father even gave him a strange, faint smile. This left Sean puzzled. Thinking it over carefully, the only possibility was that Butler Al had reported his performance on the journey home to his father. After Sean saluted his father, they headed for the dining room together, where Sean's mother, brother, and sister were already waiting.

The dining table was covered with food. Everyone took their seats in turn and began enjoying the lavish dinner. As he ate, Sean's father, Viscount Winchester, asked, "Sean, on your way home this time, you encountered bandits..."

Though phrased as a question, his tone was actually certain. Lady Margaret, who had just heard this, immediately became nervous and carefully inspected Sean from head to toe. Even Jamie and Julie turned their gazes toward him. Sean first gave his mother a reassuring smile, then smiled at his questioning father, Viscount Winchester. "Yes, Father. We encountered bandits at Golden Wolf Ridge. However... rather than bandits, I think they looked more like a group of farmers."

"You killed someone." Another question carrying certainty came from Sean's father, his expression somewhat grave.

"Yes, Father. After the New Year, the academy will recommend me as a Cadet Officer, so this was a good chance for me to gain some experience in advance." As Sean answered Viscount Winchester's question, he revealed the matter of the academy's recommendation.

Upon hearing Sean's answer, Lady Margaret first looked at him with concern, then became happy that he had received the academy's recommendation. Her feelings immediately became conflicted.

After hearing Sean's words, his father immediately asked him to recount in detail everything that had happened regarding the academy's recommendation.

When Sean frankly revealed that he had already advanced to Rookie Knight, Viscount Winchester stopped deliberately controlling his emotions for the first time. Together with Lady Margaret, he laughed happily.

Sean's older brother Jamie was also delighted for him and smiled. "My dear brother, congratulations. This is incredible. You are the pride of our entire family." He even suggested to Viscount Winchester that they should increase their support for Sean. Sean's unexpected advancement completely changed Jamie's attitude. If Sean had merely been a worthless younger brother trying to divide the inheritance, then Jamie would have needed to stay vigilant at all times. But if Sean was a younger brother with a future, then as his older brother, Jamie naturally had to be loving and supportive. This would also strengthen the family's unity and expand its influence. In the end, it would keep him from breaking his mother's heart.

Sean's younger sister Julie sensed the shift in the atmosphere at the table. Her little mind was thoroughly confused...

Sean's candid admission that he had advanced to Rookie Knight made his parents, Viscount Winchester and Viscountess Margaret, very happy for him. Sean's older brother Jamie Winchester also immediately changed his usual guarded attitude toward Sean, turning instead to wholehearted support in order to repair their familial bond. And finally, there was the bewildered younger sister Julie...

Though Sean had anticipated it, the actual situation far exceeded his expectations. He was not too surprised by his mother Lady Margaret's happiness or by Jamie's change in attitude. But his father, despite always appearing harsh and demanding toward Sean, was displaying extraordinary excitement. He looked like an elderly man whose heart had been greatly comforted, leaving Sean with mixed feelings.

Though the description was lengthy, only a dozen or so seconds had passed. After hearing his eldest son Jamie's suggestion, Viscount Winchester considered it briefly before smiling. "Jamie, you are right. Sean truly needs more support..." After a pause, he turned to Sean. "I will prepare a set of Knight armor for you. At the same time, Sean, your annual allowance will be doubled to forty gold coins. Finally, I will arrange a Knight Squire for you. Do you have anyone suitable in mind?"

"Thank you, Father. As for the squire, I have not considered anyone yet. Please decide for me, Father..." Sean immediately replied. A Knight Squire was an assistant who served a knight, usually helping manage the knight's warhorse and maintain weapons and Knight armor. During wartime, the squire served as a servant caring for the knight's daily needs. In ancient times, Knight Squires would charge alongside their knightly masters and die with them on the battlefield. Thus, a squire was extremely important to a knight. Once an agreement was formed, it would last a lifetime and could even be passed down through generations. Squires rarely betrayed their knights.

Over the more than two hundred years of Sean's family's history, some of his ancestors' squires had left behind bloodlines. By now, these bloodlines had formed more than a dozen small families, all of which had remained loyal to every generation of Viscount Winchester.

A qualified Knight Squire needed to possess certain combat abilities and skills in maintaining weapons and armor. But most importantly, he needed a loyal heart and absolute loyalty to the knight he served.

After receiving a squire's loyalty, a knight had the responsibility and obligation to devote himself fully to training that squire. In ancient times, the customary inheritance of knighthood was for a knight to train his own squire into a knight. Though the rules of knightly inheritance had changed in modern times, knights still fully trained the squires loyal to them. For an ordinary person chosen for the role, this was undoubtedly an opportunity to change his fate.

"Hmm... then I will instruct Butler Al to select more people who are usually honest and dependable... The final choice will still be yours, but you must choose carefully and cautiously..." After weighing the matter, Viscount Winchester spoke.

"Yes, Father. I will follow your instructions and choose carefully." Sean answered happily.

After this interruption, dinner continued amid the family's cheerful atmosphere. Though Sean's younger sister Julie still did not understand what was happening, she also changed her attitude toward her brother Sean and became more affectionate.

After dinner, everyone chatted for a long while before finally excusing themselves and leaving. After completing his knight training, Sean returned to his room and went to bed early.

Over the next few days, aside from exercise and knight training, Sean remained in the castle to spend time with his family.

Three days later, on Saturday, November 26, Sean rose early to exercise, had breakfast with his family, then left the family castle on horseback with two Guard Cavalry arranged for him by Butler Al, heading for Blue Fortress Town.

During the battle with the bandits a few days earlier, Sean had noticed how inconvenient it was to fight on horseback with a Knight sword. Over the past few days, he had been considering a suitable weapon for future mounted combat. Knights here usually used Battle Axes or long spears. After weighing everything, Sean chose the long spear. After all, agility was his more outstanding attribute, and over the past half year, his heightened perception had made him increasingly adept at mastering techniques. With a technique-focused long spear, Sean could unleash even more terrifying power. However, he was somewhat dissatisfied with the standard long spears used in this world. Therefore, he planned to personally visit the family's Blacksmith Workshop to speak directly with the blacksmith who would forge it. He also needed to have a few small items made so he could better adjust his saddle.

Soon, Sean and the two cavalrymen arrived near the Territorial Guard in the southeastern part of Blue Fortress Town, where the family's Blacksmith Workshop was located. After they announced their purpose, the workshop manager immediately summoned several highly skilled blacksmiths.

After Sean explained his requirements in greater detail, the manager recommended one of them, a master blacksmith named Jad. Master Jad was of medium height with an exceptionally strong body. He appeared to be around forty years old and had a full beard.

"Master Jad, I drew a rough sketch of the long spear. Please take a look..." After the manager and the other blacksmiths left, Sean immediately took out the simple blueprint he had drawn in his spare time over the previous days and spoke to Master Jad.

"Certainly, young master." Master Jad immediately accepted it with both hands. At this point, besides Master Jad, only a sturdy young man standing behind him remained near Sean. The young man had an honest-looking face and craned his neck behind Master Jad to peek curiously at the blueprint. When he noticed Sean looking at him, he scratched his head awkwardly.

Master Jad studied the blueprint and asked Sean about the long spear's exact specifications. After the two spoke for a while, Master Jad soon looked up and smiled. "Rest assured, young master. In just one week, you will have the long spear you need." Seeing Sean examining the young man behind him, he immediately explained, "Young master, this is my son, Thor. He is also my blacksmith apprentice..." As he spoke, he gave the young man a hard kick, signaling for him to immediately salute Sean.