Morning Conversation

"I truly apologize for bringing someone of that status to such a noble gathering. You may handle this matter as you see fit." Lord Walker gave Knight Marshall a deep bow, a noble's gesture that publicly acknowledged fault.

Knight Marshall returned the bow, then turned and called outside, "Guards, take him away. Send him to the magistrate in Bagang City tomorrow."

"No, you can't do this!" The weeping woman was dragged away by the grim-faced Lord Walker. He left the castle before the ball had even ended.

In one corner of the hall, Steward Linsey stood in the shadows like an invisible man. He had seen the entire conflict clearly. Seemingly having noticed something, curiosity glimmered in his eyes.

The farce merely gave the nobles more gossip to discuss. No one cared about an unlucky man who had already offended a Feudal Knight, especially when that unlucky man was not even a noble.

After the ball ended, the remaining guests were settled into their rooms. Once he had finished everything, Steward Linsey found Knight Marshall polishing his armor.

"What? Abel is a Level 4 Rookie Knight? You didn't see wrong?" Knight Marshall's beloved armor fell from his hands and struck the floor with a loud crash, but even that could not conceal his shock.

"Yes. Although I am only a Level 5 Warrior, the aura Young Master Abel released in that instant was the aura of a true Level 4 Apprentice Knight. I could not have mistaken it." Steward Linsey nodded heavily, his tone utterly certain.

"Haha! Cessi is going to suffer a huge loss this time. It seems he didn't know his second son was such a genius either. If he had known, how could he possibly have handed such a genius over to me?" Knight Marshall slapped the table and laughed loudly.

"I heard Knight Bennett's eldest son, Zack, is eighteen this year and only a Level 4 Rookie Knight," Steward Linsey quietly reminded him.

"That's right. Abel is a good child. He was afraid his cultivation speed would affect his elder brother and make him lose confidence in training, so he hid his true strength." Believing he had found the reason, Knight Marshall could not help but feel moved by Abel's actions.

"Write a letter to those old fellows in Bagang City. Tell them the news and demand that they provide a set of Crimson Sun Armor. When I left back then, they only gave me an imitation set." Looking at the armor on the floor, which he had once cherished, he continued, "I've brought a super genius into the family. How can the family show no appreciation? Those old fellows have to bleed a little, at the very least."

"Yes, Master." Steward Linsey paid no mind to Knight Marshall's tone. Knight Marshall's obsession with Crimson Sun Armor was much like his love for his late wife.

Crimson Sun Armor had been the standard armor of the Ancient Hao Ri Empire's Crimson Sun Legion. Whenever sunlight struck it, it emitted a blood-red glow. Its powerful defensive capabilities tempted every knight, while its strange blood-red radiance made nobles flock to it. Unfortunately, after the fall of the Hao Ri Empire, most Crimson Sun Armor disappeared. The few surviving sets were collected by nobles and rarely appeared on the market.

The next morning, after the maids helped Abel wash and dress, he arrived at the dining room. Knight Marshall was already waiting for him there. Feeling that he had been discourteous, Abel bowed and said, "My apologies for keeping you waiting."

"It's all right. How did you rest last night?" Knight Marshall asked casually.

"Very well. It was very comfortable."

"Don't stand there. Sit down first." Knight Marshall waved a hand, motioning Abel to sit.

After the prayer, the servants began serving breakfast. Its abundance surprised Abel—eggs, red sausage, and bacon accompanied by green vegetables. Seeing green vegetables in the depths of winter astonished him.

Noticing Abel's surprise, Knight Marshall explained with a smile, "That is the work of Druids. They use secret arts to produce vegetables, and the price suits their status."

There were professions like Druids in this world? Abel's interest stirred, and he asked, "Other than Druids, what other spellcasters are there?"

Seeing that Abel was interested in the subject, Knight Marshall set down his knife and fork. "You mean Sorceresses?"

"Sorceresses!" The image of the Town Portal Scroll being destroyed surfaced in Abel's mind. Was it because he was not a Sorceress that he could not use magical scrolls?

Abel's heart grew heated again. He decided to find an opportunity to learn more about Sorceresses.

After breakfast, Knight Marshall led Abel to the study and poured him a cup of coffee. Only after Abel had taken a sip did he say, "Abel, you are now a member of the Hari Family."

After a brief pause to gather his words, Knight Marshall continued, "There are some things I should say plainly. Last night, you displayed the aura of a Level 4 Rookie Knight."

Abel was startled. He looked up at Knight Marshall, never expecting that his brief use of Level 4 Rookie Knight strength yesterday had been noticed.

"Don't worry. I know you didn't reveal your true level because you were thinking of Zack." Seeing Abel's reaction, Knight Marshall pressed a hand to his shoulder.

Abel did not explain Knight Marshall's misunderstanding. Such a misunderstanding was more perfect than any explanation he could give.

"I don't know how you suppressed your strength, but I must say that such suppression is not a good method. A knight's strength is violent and fierce. If you suppress it, you strip that strength of its original nature."

Hearing Knight Marshall's explanation, Abel understood that the two worlds had different understandings of strength. His use of Tai Chi to control his power made it seem, to people of this world, that his strength had lost its violence and ferocity, and thus its greatest offensive nature. Yet the knowledge he had learned on Earth taught that strength should flow gently and remain restrained within the body, allowing one to nourish the body and live longer.

Abel decided to follow Knight Marshall's advice. After all, this world was in the age of cold weapons, and people of this era understood best how strength should be used. In this world, pursuing health and longevity was too extravagant. Killing enemies and surviving were the fundamental purpose of strength.

"Then how should I master this power?" Abel asked directly.

"I already have a solution to that problem. I went through the same thing back then."

Knight Marshall picked up a longsword from the table. "Look at this longsword. As a knight's most important weapon, how much can you understand about it?"

Abel accepted the longsword, ran his hand over it, and examined it carefully. He returned the sword to Knight Marshall and said, "This sword is about 1.5 meters long and weighs around 20 pounds."

Knight Marshall swung the longsword through the air. "This is a standard knight's longsword, forged from iron hammered one hundred times. It is 1.58 meters long and weighs 21.2 pounds. Do you know why I know that so clearly?"

"It's your longsword," Abel said softly.

Though his voice was quiet, Knight Marshall heard him clearly. Seeing Abel's faintly unconvinced expression, he laughed. "Do you know the exact length and weight of your own light sword?"

Abel was left speechless and rubbed his nose awkwardly.

"If you study in a Blacksmith Shop for one year, you will master this ability as well. Your grasp of weapons will surpass that of ordinary trainees. At the same time, forging will allow you to fully unleash your strength, filling it with violence while still enabling you to control it."

"All right, you've convinced me. Where should I go to learn forging?"

Knight Marshall asked somewhat smugly, "Do you know why I am so wealthy?"

Abel had always been somewhat puzzled by this. Knight Marshall's territory was no larger than Bennett Knight's Territory, yet the castle's decorations, food, and daily necessities all showed that Knight Marshall was very wealthy.

Abel shook his head. He had kept this question buried in his heart for a long time and had wanted to find a chance to ask.

"That is because there is an iron mine in my territory." Knight Marshall said proudly, "Not long after I acquired this territory, I discovered that iron mine. It was because of that mine that I was able to build the castle according to Emma's vision."

When he spoke of his wife Emma, sorrow returned to Knight Marshall's face. He sighed and said, "Emma designed this castle while she was still alive. Even combining my savings with hers was not enough, but we still began construction. The gods watched over us. Just when we were nearly out of gold coins, we discovered that iron mine, allowing her dream and mine to come true."