Seeking a Squire's Post

One day in the height of August summer.

A young, handsome blond knight arrived at Glan Territory Castle, proudly carrying a red banner with a golden border and a black eagle emblazoned upon it.

Edward, Baron Connor's eldest son, had graduated from the Royal Knight Academy in the capital as a first-class honors knight. The banner he had brought was the Royal Eagle Banner personally bestowed by the King. Among the hundreds of knights graduating from the Royal Knight Academy each year, only the top ten received such a banner.

Baron Connor was overjoyed and held a grand celebratory feast, inviting guests from far and wide. He had even invited Baron Garcia, his sworn rival from the western part of the territory, to admire the Royal Eagle Banner Edward had brought back from the Royal Knight Academy. Beaming with pride, he lavished praise upon his son's accomplishments.

Baron Garcia looked thoroughly displeased. Ever since his son had gone to the Royal Knight Academy two years ago, he had spent his days chasing women and lingering in all manner of Gold Nests in the capital. He had yet to earn even an apprentice knight's badge. Seeing that his rival's family had produced such an outstanding son, he refused to accept it and had his guard knight Sean step forward to compete with Edward in swordsmanship.

The middle-aged knight Sean, renowned throughout the land for his exquisite swordsmanship, unexpectedly lost to the hot-blooded Edward, barely in his twenties, by half a move. Baron Garcia was so enraged that he drained his cup of ale and left, while Baron Connor threw back his head and laughed triumphantly.

As for Edward, Baron Connor's eldest son and the future heir of Glan Territory, the subjects discussed not only the heir's personality and preferences in private, but also whom Knight Edward would choose as his squire.

A squire was a servant specifically assigned to a knight, responsible for caring for horses, helping the knight put on armor, carrying weapons, and following the knight into battle. They performed work similar to that of household servants.

Even so, becoming a squire was a coveted occupation pursued by countless commoners and second sons of low-ranking nobles.

That was because while serving their knights, squires had the chance to learn from them the subjects knights were required to master, such as literacy, combat techniques, and court etiquette. Though knights and squires were nominally master and servant, their relationship was more akin to that of teacher and apprentice.

Furthermore, during battle, squires provided support to knights and stepped in when no one else was available. They were often the greatest source of new members for the knightly class.

Thus, every squire had the possibility of becoming a knight.

That was why countless commoners, and even second sons of low-ranking nobles—who had no inheritance rights in this world, since the eldest son inherited the Nobility Title and second sons faced the difficult question of finding a path for themselves—were so eager to pursue it.

When Zhou Ming learned that Edward still lacked a squire, he was tempted.

Squires were generally selected from boys between the ages of twelve and sixteen. Since he had just turned twelve, he could try his luck.

Using the excuse of bringing 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 Madam Madeline with impressions of being clever, obedient, and sensible. Whenever there was a holiday or festival, he would bring her thoughtful gifts—such as the Cream Cakes, cheese, Cookies, and Moon Cakes he had invented—to show his filial respect. Madam Madeline had nearly come to regard Zhou Ming as half a son.

Even Madam Madeline's younger son Donny, who had never thought much of Zhou Ming before, gradually came to see him as his best friend and playmate after eating a birthday cake Zhou Ming had given him.

"Ryan, you brought me delicious Cream Cake again! I want the biggest piece!"

The moment Little Donny spotted the basket of cakes on the table, he quickly thrust in his hand, opened his mouth wide, and took a huge bite. He marveled inwardly. The cook could make this kind of cake too, but for some reason, hers simply did not taste as good as the cakes Ryan brought.

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

However, when she saw Zhou Ming standing to the side, looking uneasy and nervous, a trace of difficulty still flashed across Madam Madeline's gentle face.

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

Thud!

Zhou Ming suddenly dropped to his knees before Madam Madeline's long skirt and pleaded with a look of longing.

"Ryan, what do you need my mother to help you with? Tell me. Maybe I can help." Donny had few friends, but he thought Ryan was a decent person. Now that Ryan seemed to have run into some trouble, perhaps, for the sake of the delicious cakes, he could lend a hand.

Madam Madeline pulled Donny to her side and shook her head. "Darling, this is not something you can help with." 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 something like this."

"Thank you, Madam. Thank you!"

Zhou Ming said gratefully.

Inside the castle's Training Ground.

Zhou Ming stood bare-chested among a group of children between twelve and sixteen years old, his upper body displaying firm muscles.

Several red marks on Zhou Ming's arms had already begun to turn purple. Edward had left them there moments ago—under Edward's sharp attacks, Zhou Ming had barely managed to defend himself while taking six or seven heavy blows from the wooden sword.

Zhou Ming's performance had been fairly good. Among the boys his age participating in the "interview" with him, he had lasted the longest inside the ring. Everyone else had been knocked out by Edward in fewer than three or four exchanges.

"Not bad, little fellow. You held out for quite a while. You have the potential and qualifications to be my squire. Little fellow, whose child are you?"

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

"Young Master Edward, you absolutely must not choose this person as your squire! This brat is a lowly farmer's son and is completely unworthy of being your squire! If word gets out and the nobles outside hear of it, who knows how they will mock you behind your back? Your nobility and honor cannot be tarnished by this lowly farmer's son!"

The butler Brunode, who had been standing to one side, suddenly waddled forward on his short legs and viciously pointed at Zhou Ming as he complained to Edward.

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

Edward, who had always regarded noble dignity and honor as his very life, seemed to have suffered an immense insult and humiliation. His face flushed crimson as he pointed at Zhou Ming and exploded in rage. "Who? Who let this filthy thing in here? Who is humiliating me in this manner? Who is it? Step forward at once?!"

Edward had originally thought that the boys participating in his squire selection today were mostly second sons from noble families in other territories who lacked inheritance rights, their status not too different from his own. Yet unexpectedly, a lowly farmer's son had slipped into the group!

And it was this farmer's son who had defeated every competitor and become the only promising candidate to catch his eye...

Who the hell is playing such a prank on me? I'll twist off his head!

"My dear son Edward, I was the one who allowed this child to come and try. I did not know you would be so angry. For your mother's sake, please forgive this child's recklessness."

Madam Madeline stepped forward and pleaded, hoping her hot-tempered eldest son would not make things too difficult for Little Ryan.

Baron Connor, who had remained silent at the side, also spoke. "Let this child with some ambition go home. He is not suited to become a squire."

Baron Connor did not think much of Zhou Ming either. Nobles had their own dignity. How could a farmer's son be fit to involve himself in noble affairs?

If Madam Madeline had not pleaded just now, he would never have given this somewhat clever child even the slightest opportunity.

"Get out! I do not want to see you again, you vile and filthy commoner!" Edward roared at Zhou Ming, then tucked his helmet under his arm and left the Training Ground without looking back.

At the castle gates.

Zhou Ming stood there blankly.

His face was ashen, his heart as cold as ice.

He still had not recovered from the devastating blow he had just suffered.

"You damned commoner, you dare dream of becoming the squire of noble Young Master Edward? Is someone like you even qualified to serve noble Young Master Edward? Let me tell you, even if you work hard for another hundred years, another thousand years, you will always be a damned commoner! You still want to become a noble knight? Give up that dream!" The short, fat butler Brunode prattled on beside him.

"Shut up!"

Zhou Ming suddenly turned and growled, glaring viciously at him. Then he left without looking back.

Butler Brunode recoiled half a step, unnerved by the ferocity in Zhou Ming's eyes. Then he flew into a rage. "Damned commoner, just you wait!"