New Year

Thor could barely contain his excitement, rising to his feet with a surge of emotion. Seeing him stand, Sean smiled and said, "Go back and explain everything clearly to your parents. After that, I'll arrange for you to stay in the castle. I'll also seek my father's consent."

"As you command, my knight..." Thor replied, his voice trembling with exhilaration.

Sean smiled and patted Thor on the shoulder, waiting until he had mostly calmed down before summoning a family servant. He instructed the servant to escort Thor out of the castle.

After Thor left, Sean didn't immediately go to find his father, Viscount Winchester. Instead, he walked slowly to the stable, intending to add the small parts Thor had brought to the saddle one by one, according to his own design. He then planned to conduct necessary tests immediately. The results showed him that stability while riding had improved.

Later, as dinner time arrived, Sean took the opportunity of the family meal together to inform his father, Viscount Winchester, of his decision to recruit the blacksmith apprentice Thor. He also introduced the detailed information he had learned about Thor.

Sean, of course, wasn't foolish enough to explain Thor's physical attribute values to his father in detail. He merely emphasized Thor's strong physique, suggesting he likely possessed the talent to become a knight.

After more than half a year of continuous exploration, Sean had roughly understood what the world called "knight talent." Some people were naturally gifted with excellent physiques, easily achieving "muscular development" with simple training. Most, however, had ordinary constitutions, and even with arduous, professional training, they could hardly reach such exaggerated proportions.

Viscount Winchester pondered briefly before immediately agreeing to Sean's decision. After all, this was Sean's own choice of squire, and he didn't wish to interfere excessively.

Sean had anticipated this, which was why he had already promised Thor that afternoon. His current request was merely a method, tacitly understood between him and his father, to strengthen their bond and trust.

Many things are like this. Seemingly insignificant actions often yield unexpected results. If you neglect or disregard them, the opposite effect can occur, breeding resentment and causing unforeseen changes.

Finally, in a pleasant and relaxed atmosphere, father and son decided together that on Sunday, December 1st, two days later, they would gather the necessary witnesses and hold a formal squire recruitment ceremony in the castle hall.

Unable to contain his excitement, Thor returned home. At that moment, only his mother, Maria, was busy hanging out freshly washed laundry. His father was still working at the blacksmith workshop. Given his father Master Judd's income as a blacksmith, Thor's family should have been among the higher earners among the vassals.

However, Thor's grandparents favored his uncle. Shortly after Thor's father came of age, they kicked him out. As a result, even after becoming a master blacksmith, he had only just finished paying off debts incurred from buying a house and other expenses.

When Thor told his mother in detail that he would become the second young master of the lord's manor's knight squire, Maria's eyes filled with tears. She smiled with excitement and cheered joyfully with Thor.

She understood perfectly what this meant for her family. Becoming a knight squire to the lord's household meant future support and care from the lord. It would not only lift the family out of poverty but also elevate them to a higher-status family, qualified to freely enter and exit the lord's castle and be recognized by the territory's upper circles.

Later, at a dinner Maria had prepared with excitement—a fairly lavish meal—Thor announced the great news to the whole family. His father, Master Judd, was so moved he nearly burst into tears on the spot. Then the family of five, including Thor's younger brother and sister, joyfully celebrated this enormous piece of good news.

The next morning, Sean personally visited Thor's home, carrying a large number of gifts. After warm greetings and formalities, Sean confirmed in person that Thor would become his knight squire. He then invited Thor's entire family to attend the ceremony at the lord's castle on December 1st. This completely settled the lingering anxiety Master Judd and Maria had felt.

Seeing the excitement on Thor's parents' faces, Sean smiled with some emotion and said, "Master Judd, Thor can come back to the castle with me now. That way, I can start training him early."

"Yes... yes... as you say, young master..." Master Judd immediately agreed. He then turned to Thor's mother and said, "Wife, hurry and pack Thor's things. Don't keep the young master waiting..." After speaking, he waited, offering Sean a fawning smile.

"No rush. Take your time," Sean replied politely. At that moment, he saw Thor follow his mother away, and soon he could faintly hear his mother's repeated admonitions: "Be loyal to the young master..." "Train hard..." and similar words.

Sean smiled lightly at Master Judd, who stood nearby, awkward and unsure of what to do. He understood them and approved of their reasons. In this delicate atmosphere, another ten minutes passed. Soon, Thor returned with his luggage. Then, as Thor's parents waved happily and repeatedly, Sean rode back to the lord's castle with Thor.

The second young master of the lord's manor personally visiting caused a stir in the ordinary residential area where Master Judd lived. Word quickly spread that Master Judd's eldest son, Thor, would become the second young master's knight squire, and the witnessing ceremony would soon be held in the lord's castle. This immediately changed the neighbors' usual equal attitude toward Master Judd's family into one of deference and slight fawning, reserved only for those of higher status. A few shrewd neighbors even went to Thor's uncle's house to curry favor with the "cold stove." Later, Thor's grandparents and uncle were seen hurrying to Master Judd's home with strange expressions.

Time quickly arrived at Friday morning, January 1st, Imperial Calendar 1157. Today was New Year's Day. According to the empire's long-standing tradition, during the first week of the new year, everyone from nobles to slaves in all walks of life would celebrate the new year's arrival, praying for favorable weather in the coming year. The only exception was the military stationed at the borders, which needed to arrange sentries on duty.

As the actual rulers of the territory, Sean's family would also celebrate lavishly during the first week of the new year. They would prepare various gifts to distribute to all territorial officials, craftsmen, servants, soldiers, and others serving the lord.

As the first day of the new year, a grand New Year's celebration banquet would be held that evening at the family castle. All squire families in the territory, senior territorial officials, and high-ranking officers of the Lord's Guard and Territorial Guard were invited to attend.

They would all bring their families to the lord's New Year's banquet. Its scale and number of attendees far exceeded the squire witnessing ceremony held a month earlier when Sean recruited Thor.

At that witnessing ceremony a month ago, besides Sean's family, only the heads of all squire families in the territory and Thor's family, whom Sean had personally invited, were present. Thor's grandparents and his uncle's entire family also shamelessly came to observe.

Sean was somewhat surprised to discover that among the squire families, there were actually two formal knights. They were Kent, the commander of the Lord's Guard, and Boos, the commander of the Territorial Guard. The Lord's Guard consisted of 200 men, responsible for defending the lord's castle and protecting the lord during travel. The Territorial Guard had 500 men, tasked with patrolling the entire territory to combat criminals and bandits.

Under the gaze of the observing crowd, Thor knelt on one knee before Sean and swore his oath. Sean picked up his knight sword, lightly tapped Thor's shoulder, and responded to the oath. He then handed the knight sword to his father, Viscount Winchester, and his brother, Jamie. They also lightly tapped Thor's shoulder with the sword, signifying their acceptance of Thor as a knight squire serving the Winchester family.

Thor's grandparents and uncle, observing the ceremony, saw the esteemed Lord Viscount and Sir Jamie, the territory's heir, both formally acknowledge Thor's status as a squire. Their faces could not hide expressions of surprise and regret.

The empire had detailed regulations regarding noble heirs. Before inheriting, the heirs of barons and viscounts were called "Sir," the same title as the lowest-ranking nobles, including territorial knights and those who purchased knighthood. Heirs of high nobles were called "Lord," a title also used by high knights and great scholars, who could only be ennobled by the royal family and the High Noble Council.

After the witnessing ceremony, Sean hosted a banquet for Thor and his family in the castle's side hall. This also signified that he, as a knight, and the squire family shared honor and disgrace. After the meal, he personally escorted Thor's family out of the castle and once again presented prepared gifts.

After Thor officially became Sean's knight squire, Sean taught him the family's Knight Secret Method. He strictly trained him in horsemanship and swordsmanship. Although Thor had never practiced combat techniques before, he was exceptionally hardworking, knowing that as a squire, he would need to follow Sean into the military, and the stronger the squire, the more the knight valued him.

After a month of diligent training, Thor's attributes became: Strength: 1.478, Physique: 1.533, Agility: 1.431.

Comparing this to his own progress before advancing, Sean found his improvement rate was ten times that of Thor. This astonished Sean, and he could only attribute it to his transmigration.

During this period, Sean also received the knight armor prepared for him by his father, Viscount Winchester. The armor was not the full-plate type Sean had originally imagined. Instead, it only protected vital areas with metal plates, greatly enhancing a knight's flexibility while wearing it. The helmet was also designed not to impede vision or hearing, so its protective power was not strong. Understandably, against the immense strength of a formal knight, the protection of armor and helmet was like paper. Thus, the armor's main purpose was to defend against stray arrows and attacks from non-formal knights.

Thor received a similar set of leather armor. Both wore them during training to quickly adapt to the feel of fighting in armor.

Time quickly reached evening. The castle servants, dressed in newly bestowed clothes, were already at the castle gate welcoming guests arriving for the New Year's banquet. Other preparations for the banquet were also largely complete.

Guests arrived one after another, gathering in the castle hall. Each brought their families, dressed in decent clothes, greeting acquaintances and strangers alike, with phrases like "Happy New Year" and "Joyful New Spring" constantly on their lips.

When all the guests had arrived, over a hundred people were exchanging pleasantries in the hall. They naturally divided into a dozen or so small circles according to their status, making the vast castle hall feel somewhat cramped and crowded.

Then, a servant loudly announced, "Lord Viscount and Viscountess have arrived..." After a pause, he continued, "Sir Jamie Winchester has arrived..." The Viscountess Margaret, adorned with numerous jewels, was seen holding Viscount Winchester's arm, walking slowly down from the castle's second floor with a warm smile. They wore elegant, exquisite silver-white noble attire. Behind them followed their heir, Jamie Winchester, also dressed in noble robes, but in sky blue. Sean and his sister Julie followed behind their brother Jamie; their names were not announced.

Upon hearing the servant's announcement, the guests in the hall immediately turned, smiling, to watch the lord and lady descend the stairs, followed closely by the heir, Sir Jamie Winchester. At the same time, warm applause rang through the hall.

Receiving the cheers and welcome of the entire territory's high-ranking officials was a privilege reserved only for the lord, his wife, and the heir. Sean and his sister Julie were not entitled to it, and the territory's high-ranking officials were not foolish enough to break the rules.

However, at the previous witnessing ceremony, Sean's father had introduced most of the territory's high-ranking officials to Sean. This publicly acknowledged Sean's rights as a collateral branch of the family, allowing him to represent the Winchester family to a certain extent.

Generally, collateral branches received financial and influential support from the main family, enabling them to gain power in the Imperial Army or administrative system, thereby expanding the family's influence in the empire. Over the past 200 years, some members of the Winchester collateral branches had risen to high positions in the military or bureaucracy, but unfortunately, their success was short-lived, and they were soon eliminated in the empire's bizarre political struggles.

This meant Sean had to rely entirely on his own ability to advance in the Imperial Army. Fortunately, this world possessed supernatural power, which could effectively break the rules. And Sean himself was racing forward at full speed.