Competing for Squire

One day in the height of summer, in August.

A young, handsome blond knight, bearing a banner with a golden face and red background depicting a black eagle, arrived at Glan Territory's castle with a proud expression.

Baron Connor's eldest son, Edward, had graduated from the Royal Knight Academy with first-class honors. The banner he brought was the Royal Eagle Banner personally bestowed by the King. Of the hundreds of knights who graduated from the Royal Knight Academy each year, only the top ten most outstanding ones could receive this banner.

Baron Connor was extremely pleased and held a grand celebration banquet, inviting guests far and wide. He even invited his arch-rival, Baron Garcia, from the west of his territory, to come and admire the Royal Eagle Banner his son had brought from the Royal Knight Academy. With a beaming face, he praised his son's accomplishments.

Baron Garcia looked displeased. After his son went to the Royal Knight Academy two years ago, all he did was chase women and frequent various pleasure houses in the capital, and he hadn't even obtained a squire's badge yet. Seeing that his arch-rival's family had produced such a prodigy, he was unconvinced and had his knight attendant, Sean, step forward to compete in swordsmanship with Edward.

As a result, Sean, a middle-aged knight renowned for his exquisite swordsmanship, was actually defeated by the young and spirited Edward, who was in his early twenties, by half a move. Baron Garcia was so angry that he finished the ale in his cup and left. Baron Connor, on the other hand, laughed heartily with pride.

Regarding Baron Connor's eldest son, Edward, the future heir of Glan Territory, the most discussed topics among the commoners in private, besides the heir's personality and preferences, were the candidates for Knight Edward's knight attendant.

A knight attendant is a servant specifically providing services for a knight, such as taking care of horses, helping with armor, carrying weapons, and following the knight into battle. They perform some tasks similar to those of a servant for the knight.

Even so, being a knight attendant is a popular profession eagerly sought after by countless commoners and the second sons of lower nobility.

This is because every knight attendant, while serving a knight, has the opportunity to learn some cultural knowledge, combat skills, or court etiquette, which are essential lessons for a knight. Although the relationship between a knight and a knight attendant is nominally that of master and servant, it is actually more like a teacher-student relationship.

Secondly, knight attendants who provide auxiliary services during combat and fill in when no one else is available often constitute the majority of the source of the knight class.

Therefore, every knight attendant has the potential to become a knight.

This is also the reason why countless commoners and even the second sons of lower nobility (the second sons of nobles in this world do not have inheritance rights, and their future becomes a big problem after the eldest son inherits the title) are eager to become knight attendants.

After learning that Edward was still in need of a knight attendant, Zhou Ming, who had been quietly observing, felt a stir of interest.

Knight attendants are generally selected from boys aged 12-16. He was just over 12 years old this year, so he could try his luck.

Again using the excuse of delivering a basket of cream cakes to the lord's wife, Zhou Ming entered the castle and met Madam Madeline.

Over the past few years, Zhou Ming had left a good impression on Madam Madeline, being seen as intelligent, well-behaved, and sensible. Every holiday season, he would bring some uniquely crafted gifts (such as the cream cakes, cheese, cookies, and moon cakes he invented) to show his filial piety. Madam Madeline almost regarded Zhou Ming as half her son.

Even Madam Madeline's younger son, Donny, who had not been particularly fond of Zhou Ming before, gradually came to regard him as his best friend and playmate after eating a birthday cake Zhou Ming had given him.

"Ryan, you've brought me delicious cream cakes again! I want a big piece!"

Spotting the basket of cakes on the table at a glance, Little Donny quickly reached in and took a big bite with his mouth wide open. He marveled inwardly; the cook could also make this kind of cake, but for some reason, it just wasn't as tasty as the cakes Ryan brought.

"My little darling, eat slowly." Madam Madeline patted her younger son's back dotingly, afraid he might choke from eating too fast.

However, seeing Zhou Ming standing to the side with a look of unease, a hint of difficulty still flashed across Madam Madeline's elegant face.

"Madam Madeline, please help me. I want to become a knight attendant. I want to serve the lord better!"

Plop!

Zhou Ming suddenly knelt before Madam Madeline's long skirt and pleaded with a look of longing.

"Ryan, what do you need my mom's help with? Tell me, maybe I can help you." Donny, who didn't have many friends, thought Ryan was a good person. Now seeing that he seemed to be in a little trouble, perhaps he could help a little for the sake of the delicious cake.

Madam Madeline pulled Donny to her side and shook her head, saying, "Darling, you can't help with this." Then she said to Zhou Ming, "How about this, Ryan, I'll take you to see my husband, Connor. Only he can make the decision on this matter."

"Thank you, Madam, thank you, Madam!"

Zhou Ming said gratefully.

In the castle, on the knight training grounds.

Zhou Ming, shirtless and displaying his muscular upper body, stood among a group of children aged 12-16.

There were several red marks on Zhou Ming's arms, already turning slightly purple. These were left by Edward just now – in the face of Edward's sharp attacks, he had barely managed to defend himself and had taken six or seven heavy blows from the wooden sword.

Zhou Ming's performance was decent. Among the peers who participated in the "interview" with him, he was the only one who lasted the longest in the circle. The others were knocked out of bounds by Edward in less than three or four rounds.

"The little fellow is not bad. To be able to last this long, he has the potential and qualification to be my squire. Little fellow, whose child are you?"

Taking the towel handed by a servant, Edward elegantly wiped the sweat from his hands and looked at Zhou Ming with appreciation.

"Young Master Edward, please, please don't choose this person as your squire! This boy is the son of a lowly farmer, completely unworthy of being your knight squire! If this gets out and is known by the nobles outside, who knows how they will mock you behind your back. Your nobility and honor cannot be stained by this lowly farmer's son!"

Brunode, the steward who had been standing aside, suddenly stepped forward with his short legs, pointed fiercely at Zhou Ming, and complained to Edward.

"What? You are a farmer's son? You lowly farmer's son, you want to be my knight squire?"

Edward, who had always regarded the dignity and honor of a noble as his life, seemed to have suffered immense humiliation and mockery. His face flushed red, he pointed at Zhou Ming and roared in anger: "Who? Who let this lowlife in? Who is humiliating me in this way? Who is it? Come out now?!"

Edward had originally thought that the youths participating in his knight squire selection today were mostly second sons of nobles from other territories who had no right of inheritance, with statuses similar to his. He never expected that a lowly farmer's son had actually mixed in!

And it was precisely this farmer's son who had defeated all his competitors and become the only promising candidate who caught his eye...

Who is playing such a prank on me? I will definitely twist his head off!

"My dear son Edward, I was the one who asked this child to come and try. I didn't know you would be so angry. For my sake, your mother, please forgive this child's rashness."

Madam Madeline walked up and pleaded, hoping that her hot-tempered eldest son wouldn't make things too difficult for Little Ryan.

Baron Connor, who had been silent, also spoke, "Let this somewhat ambitious child go back. He is not suitable to be a knight squire."

Baron Connor actually didn't think much of Zhou Ming either. Nobles had their dignity. How could a farmer's son be suitable to meddle in noble affairs?

If it weren't for Madam Madeline's plea just now, he wouldn't have given this somewhat clever child any chance at all.

"Get out! I don't want to see you, you despicable, filthy lowlife!" Edward roared at Zhou Ming, then tucked his helmet under his arm and left the training ground without looking back.

At the castle gate.

Zhou Ming stood there blankly.

His face was ashen, his heart like ice.

He still hadn't recovered from the huge blow he had just received.

"Damn lowlife, how dare you dream of becoming the squire of the noble Young Master Edward? Is the noble Young Master Edward someone a lowlife like you is qualified to serve? Let me tell you, even if you work hard for a hundred years, a thousand years, you will always be a damn lowlife! And you still want to become a noble knight? Give up on that idea!" The short, fat steward Brunode chattered on the side.

"Shut up!"

Zhou Ming suddenly turned his head and roared in a low voice, glaring fiercely at him! Then he left without looking back.

Steward Brunode recoiled half a step, startled by the fierce look in his eyes, then became furious: "Damn lowlife, you just wait and see!"