The Academy Armory

Chapter 48: The Academy Armory

Lorist looked up at the greyish-blue tower, where the figure of Dean Levens could be seen in the windows. He placed a hand over his chest and gave a half-bow before turning to leave.

Yesterday, Lorist had received a letter from Dean Levens, inviting him to the dean's office this morning.

Dean Levens was very polite when they met today. He said he knew Lorist was leaving soon to return to the North to inherit his family's territory, which he considered good news and wished Lorist success in becoming a great lord. The dean then shared some news: the academy's armory had a batch of old armor and lances that were due for disposal or auction. Lorist might want to take a look and acquire them if they suited him, as they could potentially aid him on his journey north.

Lorist thanked Dean Levens, removed the dual Gold Instructor badges from his chest, and placed them on the table. He wasn't sure when he would return to Molent City after heading north, and said he would always remember the ten wonderful years he spent at Dawnlight Academy.

Dean Levens stroked the Gold Badges for a long time before handing them back to Lorist. "Take them back as a memento. Also, don't mention resigning or anything. You're a legend of Dawnlight Academy. For now, be an honorary instructor. Dawnlight Academy will always welcome you back."

After bidding farewell to Dean Levens, Lorist went to the academy armory. This was where most of the weapons, equipment, and training gear for the Knight and Swordsman majors were stored. Training swords, like those Lorist used for his swordsmanship instruction, were also issued from here.

Uncle Kuzm, the armory supervisor, had clearly been prepared. After a brief greeting, he led Lorist to a storeroom that was packed to the brim.

"Here we have a total of three hundred and twenty training lances. With spearheads attached, they become formidable weapons for charging. There are also seven hundred training swords; sharpened, they become deadly killing tools. Additionally, there are three hundred training kite shields, one hundred and fifty crossbows, twenty-four sets of full plate knight armor, and two hundred and twenty sets of plate armor for heavy swordsmen. Oh, and eighty-two sets of cavalry armor, which are considered scout armor," Uncle Kuzm said.

Lorist was delighted because everything here looked to be about eighty percent new, not worn-out and ready for disposal. Fatty Shi had reported to him two days prior, before he and Bordefinger left for Port Nubite to trade for slaves. The procured supplies, such as food and carriages, were fine, but weapons and armor were proving troublesome. Not only were they expensive, but the variety was also insufficient. While they could gather enough longswords and greatswords, good armor was scarce. Most of what was available on the market was leather armor worn by mercenaries, with metal armor being rare and very costly. There also wasn't enough time for custom orders. He had asked Lorist to keep an eye out for any suitable pieces, and now the problem was solved.

"Uncle Kuzm, why does our academy have so much plate armor? I don't recall us having a Heavy Swordsman major, do we? And what about that cavalry armor? I've never seen anything like it," Lorist inquired.

"Heh, Locke, you forgot that our academy merged with Yellow Ribbon Academy. This plate armor is all from the former Yellow Ribbon Academy's armory, which we absorbed. It's just that very few students enrolled in the Heavy Swordsman major last semester, so the academy is planning to cancel the program. Consequently, this plate armor won't be put to use. We were going to auction it off, but the dean said you might need it, so he let you see it first," Uncle Kuzm explained with a smile.

Lorist chuckled sheepishly. He had forgotten that Yellow Ribbon Academy primarily focused on training stewards and swordsman-guards, so having specialized plate armor for heavy swordsmen wasn't unusual.

"As for this cavalry armor..." Uncle Kuzm stroked his chin, lost in thought. "I don't really know how to put it. In fact, these eighty-two sets of cavalry armor could be considered failed prototypes. They've been stored in the academy's warehouse for nearly a decade. However, they've been well-preserved and are like new."

"Failed prototypes?"

"Yes. This was about fifteen years ago. A book about the Knight profession caused a widespread debate. The book boldly predicted the decline of heavily armored knights, arguing that future cavalry would primarily focus on speed, agility, lightness, and long-range attacks, rather than the current trend of heavily armored knights charging head-on in battle. The book used scouts as an example, stating that in one battle, scouts screening the battlefield for light cavalry inflicted far more casualties and suffered fewer losses than the heavily armored knights who charged. This highlighted the importance of scouts. The book also posed a question: if a light cavalry force composed mainly of scouts were to harass a force of heavily armored knights, which side would win?"

"The knight instructors at the academy debated fiercely at the time, and the academy's higher-ups were very interested. They believed that if the book's prediction came true, the Knight profession would undergo a seismic shift. In that case, the sooner research into light cavalry tactics began, the better the advantage they could gain, even becoming leaders once light cavalry tactics became popular. So, a sum of money was allocated for the instructors in the academy's armor and protection department to design and manufacture this light cavalry armor based on scout characteristics. The original plan was to produce one hundred and fifty sets and form a light cavalry squadron for tactical drills. However, at that time, the Battle of Mount Blanchiko occurred. The thirty thousand light cavalry of the Khanate of Harvisthan were utterly defeated by five thousand heavily armored knights of the Roman Empire, suffering heavy casualties, with less than four thousand escaping. The book then became a laughingstock, the academy terminated the light cavalry project, and the eighty-two sets of light cavalry armor that had been manufactured were stored in the warehouse, remaining there until now," Uncle Kuzm recounted.

"Oh, I see," Lorist said as he opened a chest and took out a piece of the so-called light cavalry armor. Upon inspection, Lorist understood.

The currently popular heavily armored knights would first put on chainmail before donning full plate armor before battle, offering extremely strong defense. Lorist recalled Instructor Marlin mentioning that the city guard scouts basically wore chainmail under a leather jerkin, similar to the scout equipment in other countries like Galintea.

The light cavalry armor in Lorist's hand, however, was a combination of chainmail and plate armor. The chest and shoulders were made of solid plate, while the arms and waist were constructed with chainmail. Its advantage was stronger defense than the current scout equipment, yet it was lighter than a knight's full plate armor. The drawback was its somewhat strange appearance, with both plate and chainmail. When considered as plate armor, its defense felt insufficient, and when considered as chainmail, it couldn't be layered with additional armor, making it too cumbersome. No wonder it had been stored in the warehouse for over a decade. However, Lorist didn't mind; this armor would be excellent for scout use.

"Hmm, Uncle Kuzm, I'll take all of these. How much does the academy plan to sell them to me for?" Lorist asked.

Uncle Kuzm blinked in surprise, then his face lit up. "You'll take them all? The dean said you could take the rest to auction if you didn't want them. It would be great if you took them all; it would save me the trouble of going to the auction house and haggling with them. Wait a moment, let me calculate."

"Three hundred and twenty training lances, one large silver coin each, totaling sixteen gold coins. Seven hundred training swords, four large silver coins each, totaling one hundred and forty gold coins. Three hundred training kite shields, ten large silver coins each, totaling one hundred and fifty Gold Fude. One hundred and fifty training crossbows, one gold coin each, totaling one hundred and fifty gold coins. Twenty-four sets of training full plate knight armor, fifteen gold coins per set, totaling three hundred and sixty Gold Fude. Two hundred and twenty sets of training plate armor, ten gold coins per set, totaling two thousand two hundred gold coins. Eighty-two sets of light cavalry armor, I'll give you ten gold coins per set as well. Each set cost over thirty gold coins to make back then, totaling eight hundred and twenty Gold Fude. All together, that comes to three thousand eight hundred and thirty-six gold coins," Uncle Kuzm said, his calculation skills impressive as he quickly arrived at the final sum.

"Right, Uncle Kuzm, could I borrow the academy armory's repair shop to make some adjustments to this equipment? I'd like to have the lances fitted with spearheads, the training swords sharpened, the shields reinforced with a thin layer of fine steel, and the armor tidied up and stamped with my family crest. I'll pay extra for that," Lorist said gratefully, as the prices Uncle Kuzm quoted were only one-third or one-fourth of the market price for similar equipment.

"Of course, you can. The repair shop guys are idle during the break, spending their days gambling or drinking. They'll be happy to have a chance to earn some extra money," Uncle Kuzm agreed with a smile.

"Alright then, I'll bring someone over this afternoon. He'll know how to make the crests. If they do a good job, I'll give the repair shop an extra bonus. Oh, Uncle Kuzm, could I pay in three days?" Lorist asked.

Uncle Kuzm nodded. "No problem, Locke."

Damn it, that fatso only left me three thousand Gold Fude to buy weapons and equipment from the market. I've spent over a thousand buying about three hundred weapons and dozens of pieces of armor these past two days. Now I only have one option: sell the building I just acquired. That's the only way I'll have the money to pay for this batch of equipment. Lorist muttered to himself, gritting his teeth at the thought of the "damn fatty," who was forcing him to become a lord. Utterly outrageous.

In the afternoon, Lorist brought Sertkamp to the academy armory. After explaining the situation to him, he went alone to the Red Raven Tavern to find Er. Er arrived in a hurry after a long wait. He was surprised when Lorist told him he wanted to sell the building he had just acquired and asked why.

Lorist explained his current predicament of lacking funds to purchase the equipment. Er said, "Wait here," and left.

A while later, Er returned and handed Lorist a small box. Upon opening it, Lorist found fifty gold notes inside.

Er said to Lorist, "Brother, this is all my savings. More than half of it, I earned with your help. I know you won't accept it for free, so how about this: consider it a loan. The building will be the collateral. Write an agreement stating that if you don't repay the money in ten years, the building will be mine. Also, the rent from the building is about seventy gold coins annually, so consider that as interest for me. What do you think?"

"Okay, let's do it that way. Er. Thank you, you've been a great help to your brother," Lorist said gratefully.

Er sighed. "It's nothing. My money was just sitting there anyway. If I didn't have so many ties, I'd want to go north with you too. That damned fatty, showing off in front of me, it's truly infuriating."

Two days prior, Fatty Shi and Bordefinger had taken over a dozen veteran students from the Swordsmanship Club who were willing to follow them north to Port Nubite. Lorist had hosted a farewell banquet for them at the Red Raven Tavern before they left. Er had arrived later, and Fatty Shi had told Er that from now on, he had to address him as "Sir Knight" because he was a noble and Er was a commoner, and Er needed to show him respect. Er had been furious on the spot.

After bidding farewell to Er, Lorist rushed back to Dawnlight Academy and went to the armory to pay Uncle Kuzm. He feared that if he waited until the three-day deadline, something might go wrong with the weapons and equipment.

Uncle Kuzm smiled. "I thought you might be short on cash, but I didn't expect you to have it so soon. It seems you really need this equipment."

Lorist gave a wry smile. "Uncle Kuzm, you know the road north isn't peaceful these days. Fatty Shi is preparing an army to escort me back. This batch of weapons and equipment from the academy is a huge help."

Uncle Kuzm pondered for a moment. "Then follow me. There are two more storerooms here you can check out. They might be useful."

He led Lorist left and right to the back of the armory, where two large stone buildings stood. Uncle Kuzm opened the large doors, and Lorist looked inside to see a mess. The piled-up debris on the ground was half as tall as a person.

Uncle Kuzm said, "This is where we store discarded weapons and equipment. Anything the repair shop deems unfixable or too troublesome to repair, they throw here. We only clear it out every few years, sending some for recycling and some for incineration. In fact, some of these things can still be useful. Look, for instance, this spearhead. With a modification, it can be used as a javelin head. Locke, if you're willing, you can pick anything you want from here. It's all free. Just give the repair shop guys some extra money for drinks, and they'll be happy to help you fix them."

Lorist was overjoyed and shook Uncle Kuzm's hand vigorously. "Thank you, thank you, Uncle Kuzm, you've been a great help."

Uncle Kuzm chuckled. "Gently, gently, an old man's bones like mine can't take much rough handling. Here, this is the key to the door. You can bring people here to clear it out anytime."

After dinner, Lorist summoned Telman and Yuri to the study and told them about Uncle Kuzm's offer to let him sort through the armory.

Telman said this was excellent. This time, a total of thirty-eight veteran students from the academy were willing to follow their lord north. Two days ago, Knight Shredder and Knight Bordefinger had taken twelve people to Port Nubite. Originally, Yuri was also planning to take a group to his hometown on the Harvisthan Steppes to purchase warhorses. He would take fewer people this time, and the rest would be led by Telman to clear out the academy armory.

Fatty Shi had also given Yuri three thousand Gold Fude before they left, instructing him to purchase at least two hundred warhorses. However, a warhorse in Molent City cost at least thirty to forty gold coins. Therefore, Yuri planned to return to his hometown to buy horses directly from the steppes, avoiding the exorbitant prices charged by unscrupulous horse dealers.

Lorist shook his head. Yuri's round trip would take about a month. It would be better to take more people to avoid any unforeseen incidents. The task of clearing the academy armory could be outsourced to about ten of the students who were out working, letting them do the clearing. Telman and his group would only need to identify what was usable and what was discarded. As for himself, he would visit frequently. After all, he couldn't leave the academy yet and had to make many decisions himself.

Telman and his men spent three days clearing out the armory and sent someone to summon Lorist.

When Lorist arrived, he saw that more than half of the two large rooms had been cleared, and they would be finished in another three days. A mountain of weapons and equipment that Telman deemed still useful had been piled up.

Seeing Lorist surveying the weapons and equipment, Telman said sheepishly, "My lord, this is just a preliminary selection of what we think is usable. It still needs further sorting, and perhaps less than a third can actually be repaired. I called you here because we found these repeating crossbows inside. They're still intact, but for some reason, they were just thrown here. We were wondering if we could take them; they would be very useful for our journey north."

Only then did Lorist notice twelve repeating crossbows lined up beside the pile of junk. Apart from lacking bowstrings, all other parts were perfectly preserved and didn't look old. Especially the bow arms, made of some unknown material, were dark and shiny. These were small repeating crossbows meant to be mounted on war chariots, usually for long-range defense on supply wagons. It was a mystery why so many were discarded in these two abandoned item warehouses.

Lorist invited Uncle Kuzm over. After looking at the twelve repeating crossbows for a long time, Uncle Kuzm finally recalled something. He went back and retrieved a yellowed booklet made of animal hide. After flipping through half of it, he said, "Found it, here it is."

These twelve repeating crossbows were specially designed and manufactured eight years ago by the instructors and students of the academy's crossbow manufacturing department for a city defense army's arms procurement. Although the design and manufacturing were excellent, they were rejected because they required too many operators. The repeating crossbow needed three people to operate: one to drive the chariot, one to aim and fire, and one to string the bow and load the bolt. Thus, they were abandoned here.

Uncle Kuzm said, "Take them if you need them. See, the manifest already says 'discarded' next to these repeating crossbows. However, you'll have to find your own bowstrings; the armory doesn't have suitable ones."

Lorist and Telman were overjoyed. With these twelve repeating crossbows, their journey north would have an additional layer of military security.