Breakthrough on the Training Ground

With each word Karl spoke, the Earl of Rochfort's mocking expression faded, replaced by growing surprise and scrutiny.

Upon hearing "annihilated the goblin tribe" and "discovered and mined a vein," he unconsciously sat up straighter.

He knew Karl might have some capabilities, but he hadn't expected him to act so quickly or achieve such significant results!

This was completely outside the normal script for a disgraced noble's son sent to the frontier!

"...It seems I truly underestimated you, young man." The Earl was silent for a few seconds before speaking slowly, his tone carrying a hint of complexity. "You are far more capable than your appearance suggests. So, what specifically do you wish to procure on this visit?"

"Grain, my Lord Earl," Karl stated frankly. "The territory's grain reserves are nearly depleted. The spring harvest is too far away to help us now. I need to purchase at least fifty thousand jin of grain, as well as some salt and medicine."

"Fifty thousand jin?" The Earl frowned slightly. "That's a considerable sum of money. Do you have enough gold coins? This is not a charity."

Karl patted the heavy money pouch on his back. The clinking of gold coins inside produced a crisp, pleasant sound. "Please rest assured, my Lord. Our expedition to the goblin lair yielded some spoils, enough to cover the cost of the goods."

Hearing the solid sound of money, the Earl of Rochfort finally revealed a genuine smile.

He liked straightforward transactions like this.

"Very well," he nodded in satisfaction and instructed the Recorder, "Recorder, escort Lord Karl to the market. Find Old John's Grain Shop and tell them I sent you. He will give you a fair price. After all, Lord Karl is now an indispensable 'frontline barrier' for the Northern Border, and he is our old friend."

"Yes, my Lord Earl." The Recorder bowed and accepted the order.

"Thank you, my Lord Earl!" Karl said sincerely. With the Governor's Office Recorder personally involved, the procurement process would undoubtedly be much smoother, and the price would be more favorable.

Leaving the Governor's Office, led by the Recorder, Karl quickly arrived at Fran City's largest grain market and found the "Old John's Grain Shop" designated by the Earl.

The shop owner, Old John, was a shrewd businessman. Upon seeing the Governor's Office Recorder personally accompanying a young noble, he immediately realized they were major clients and became extremely enthusiastic and humble.

The Recorder concisely explained their purpose and requirements. Old John naturally did not dare to neglect them, and the price he offered was indeed about ten percent lower than the public market price.

Karl did not agree immediately. He insisted on inspecting the goods himself.

Led by Old John, he carefully inspected the grain in several warehouses.

He picked up the grains, smelled them to check for mold or spoilage, carefully examined if the grains were dry, how much impurity there was, and even requested to randomly open a few sacks to check the contents.

Ultimately, he selected a batch of black and wheat grains that were of the best quality, driest, and fullest.

After a fierce round of bargaining, they finally settled on a price that was satisfactory to both parties: forty thousand jin of grain, with black grain making up seventy percent and wheat thirty percent, along with ten thousand jin of beans and smoked meat.

Finally, there was the bulk purchase of five hundred jin of salt and a batch of commonly used hemostatic and herbal medicines.

After paying nearly three hundred gold coins, Karl also hired Old John's transport team—ten large carriages with corresponding drivers and guards—and arranged for them to load the goods and depart the next morning for Carnford.

After bidding farewell to the Recorder at the entrance of the grain market, a prompt sound echoed in Karl's mind as expected:

[Quest]: Travel to Fran City and purchase ten thousand jin of grain. (Completed)

[Reward Information Issued]:

[Information Content]: Charlotte Rochfort is in the inner city training grounds of Fran City, undergoing high-intensity skill training with Battle Master Andre Stein. It has reached a critical stage, and she is about to attempt to break through to Second-Order Knight.

This piece of information left Karl somewhat speechless. Although he had returned to Fran City with a sliver of hope of seeing Charlotte again deep down, he hadn't expected the system to be so "considerate" as to directly provide her location and status.

He calmly walked a stretch towards the inn. Once he confirmed that the Recorder's carriage had gone far and there were no acquaintances around, he immediately turned and hurried in the direction of the inner city training grounds from his memory.

The training grounds in Fran City were built in a small natural basin beneath the drawbridge between the inner and outer city walls.

The light here was slightly dimmer than in the city, especially in the evening, but it had the advantage of being secluded and undisturbed.

There was an inconspicuous side door leading to the training grounds, guarded by a fully armed soldier.

As Karl approached the door, the guard was about to stop him, but upon closer inspection, he recognized Karl as the young noble the Governor had personally seen off on the day the City Defense Army departed.

Karl seized the opportunity and said, "I am here on the Governor's orders."

The guard did not doubt him and respectfully stepped aside.

Karl pushed open the door and walked in. The scene inside the training grounds immediately came into view.

In the center of the field, two knights, covered in heavy plate armor with their visors down, were engaging in a fierce duel.

Heavy longswords clashed violently in the air, erupting in a continuous metallic clang and sparks.

Their movements were swift and precise, their footwork steady. Every slash, block, and thrust was filled with power, clearly indicating they were both highly skilled individuals.

Although their faces were hidden, Karl recognized the knight with the relatively slender build but exceptionally agile and sharp movements as Charlotte Rochfort almost at a glance.

Her opponent was a more burly middle-aged knight with experienced and steady moves, presumably the Battle Master Andre Stein mentioned in the intelligence.

At this point, Charlotte was clearly at a disadvantage.

Master Stein's attacks were like heavy waves, coming one after another with full force, forcing Charlotte to retreat and block repeatedly, appearing somewhat strained. Her labored breathing could be heard clearly through her helmet.

However, her resilience was exceptional. Despite being on the defensive, her footwork was not chaotic, and she managed to narrowly evade her opponent's fatal attacks.

Karl remained silent, quietly moving to the shadows at the edge of the field, holding his breath as he watched.

This was the first time he had witnessed Charlotte fighting with all her might. Her combat posture, so different from her beauty, filled with power and ferocity, stirred his heart.

Gradually, the situation on the field began to change subtly.

Charlotte seemed to be gradually adapting to Master Stein's rhythm and strength. Her counterattacks began to increase, her sword light like a venomous snake, always emerging from unexpected angles, forcing the Master to defend.

Her speed advantage began to show as she circled the Master, searching for an opening.

Suddenly, Charlotte seized a tiny gap as the Master retracted his sword. She lunged forward fiercely, her longsword skillfully deflecting his defense, and the tip precisely struck a connection point on the Master's chest plate.

Although the training sword was not sharpened and she was wearing plate armor, this strike caused no actual damage. However, according to the rules, it was undeniably a valid scoring blow!

Having landed the hit, Charlotte's momentum surged. Seizing the advantage, she pressed her attack, immediately stepping forward to pursue her victory and unleash a relentless barrage of strikes!

However, at that very moment, Master Stein suddenly leaped backward, actively creating distance. As he did so, he threw up his visor and shouted loudly, "Stop! That's it, Charlotte! Don't pursue! Steady your mind, immediately begin your breathing technique, guide your Battle Qi, and seize this peak momentum to break through the bottleneck!"

His shout was like a splash of cold water, and Charlotte's charging footsteps abruptly halted.

She instantly understood the Master's intention. The high-intensity sparring and the successful counterattack had pushed her mental and physical state to the optimal critical point—the perfect time to break through!

Without hesitation, she immediately dropped her training longsword, which clanged to the ground with a crisp sound.

Then, she knelt down reverently, not even taking the time to remove her heavy plate armor. She clasped her hands tightly over her chest, closed her eyes.

In an instant, an invisible aura began to gather around her.

The surrounding air seemed to thicken. One could clearly see her body trembling slightly, and the skin on her exposed neck and wrists began to emit a faint silver glow. This was a sign of her magic being fully activated, surging within her body to break through the barriers.

She was attempting to break through the barrier to Second-Order Knight with all her might.

Master Stein stood not far away, solemnly guarding her.

In the shadows, Karl unconsciously clenched his fists, his heart involuntarily tightening with anxiety for her.

The entire training ground was filled only with Charlotte's rhythmic breathing and the increasingly intense energy fluctuations.