Knight Squire

Sean truly was a fellow with not a shred of aristocratic bearing, but Kano was a fake Englishman too.

The two young men hit it off remarkably well, and Sean planned to take him back to McCall Manor tomorrow.

"Last night, my ancestor came to me in a dream. Seriously, he nearly scared me awake," Sean said as he ate. "He told me that what you're facing is King Mark's resentment."

"My ancestor said you could find him through a ritual, by the little stream."

Sean and Kano each carried a paper bag filled with freshly baked Cornwall pies. They sat on the railing around the fish pond at Cornwall Magic Academy, eating and chatting.

"King Mark? Isn't he Mr. Tristan's uncle?" Kano finished the pie in his hand and took another from the bag. "The one who always plays the villain in the stories."

"There's quite a problem with that story. Once we get home, I'll tell you the most authentic version."

"Come to think of it, why not just have me wait at your house?" Kano asked.

"My family's adults are all overseas. Right now, only the old butler and I live there. Without the McCall Family's permission, no one can enter my manor."

After finishing lunch, Sean casually washed his hands in the fish pond. A strange-looking fish poked its head out of the water and spoke in a human voice.

"You brat, you never leave me anything to eat when you pass by! You only ever try to make do with the grease on your hands!"

"Give it a rest. You're lucky to get any grease at all!"

Sean and the fish cursed at each other in Cornwall slang for a few moments before the fish began spraying water at them. The two hurriedly ran away.

"That just now... was a talking salmon?" Kano stared blankly at the creature still grumbling in the water.

"Don't get the wrong idea. It probably has some mythical creature bloodline, so it lives a long time and can speak. But as you saw, it's got a filthy mouth," Sean explained.

Kano, however, felt that the fish was probably only hostile toward Sean.

Cornwall Magic Academy's campus was not particularly large. Beyond the entrance was the foyer, followed by the central courtyard, where the fish pond they had just visited was located.

Further back stood the school's main buildings: five towers, one tall and four short.

The lower floors of the tallest tower housed the great hall, while the upper floors held the library. Two shorter towers stood on either side as classrooms, while the two small towers behind them were student dormitories.

Behind the dormitories were the main field and the gardens.

"This place is divided into the Knight Department and the Wizard Department, but we all learn some basic spells and knightly combat techniques," Sean introduced. "I happen to have a practical combat class this afternoon, so let's have a go on the field."

"I never refuse a challenge."

Kano did not particularly care about Sean's challenge. He treated it as a warm-up for fighting King Mark, and he was also curious how strong Tristan's descendants had become.

At two o'clock, the students of the Knight Department were brought to the main field.

"Actually, many of these people are descendants of knights from the Duchy of Cornwall," Sean said as he warmed up.

"Becoming a knight requires a great deal of grueling training and financial support. It's far too difficult for students from Muggle backgrounds."

"And besides, these are peaceful times. Wizards are much more capable than knights outside of battle, so children from Muggle backgrounds mostly join the Wizard Department."

The instructor stepped forward to add, and it was Thomas, the very man who had picked Kano up.

"Would you like to spar with these children today?" he invited.

"Sean invited me to compete with him. But as a knight, I have no reason to refuse a challenge either." Kano nodded in agreement.

"Though it's unlikely, don't get hurt," Sean reminded him. "You still have a match with me."

Kano's robes instantly transformed into knightly armor. With a flick of his hand, an oak sword appeared in his grasp.

"Mount up?"

"Mount up!"

One young man had long been unable to contain himself. He swung onto his horse and waited for Kano to get ready.

Kano accepted a warhorse raised by the school from Sean, rode it forward a couple of steps, then lowered his visor to signal that he was ready.

"A friendly spar. Stop at the proper point."

Thomas stepped aside, wand in hand, ready to halt the battle at any moment.

Kano's opponent charged straight at him, but Kano took the bow hanging from his saddle and fired an arrow at his helmet.

Though the arrow had no arrowhead, it still left a dent in his opponent's helmet. The opponent was so frightened that he immediately flattened himself against his horse, and murmurs rose among the students.

"I couldn't have dodged that arrow. It was too fast."

"His accuracy is incredible too. That shot landed at exactly the right spot to scare his opponent without hurting him."

Kano's opponent charged forward, attempting to knock him off his horse with his lance. Kano lightly pulled the reins, and his warhorse sidestepped the charge. Then he swung his lance, sweeping it across his opponent's waist and knocking him down.

"Do you still want to test our swordsmanship?" Kano pointed his lance at the other man from horseback.

"No need. I concede." His opponent surrendered readily, taking off his helmet and placing it on the ground.

"Then, next."

Before long, another student stepped forward and clashed with Kano.

This battle also ended swiftly. The opponent dodged Kano's lance, but was struck in the waist by a shield and fell from his horse.

The battle on the field quickly drew the students' attention. With people shouting, horses neighing, and deep furrows being plowed into the grass, it was impossible not to notice.

The Knight Department had seven grades in total. Kano's opponents now were a group of fifth-year students—in the traditional sense, knight squires.

A few knight-class students from the sixth and seventh years also wanted to give it a try, but Sean turned them all away.

"I'm the one challenging him in a moment. You're not even as good as me, so just watch for now."

No sooner had Sean finished speaking than Kano knocked another opponent from his horse.

This was already the sixth person he had defeated. For a while, no one else wanted to step onto the field.

Kano jumped down from his horse, removed his helmet, shook the sweat from his hair, and turned his gaze toward Sean.

"I've warmed up enough."

"Don't you need a rest?" Sean asked.

"No need. My stamina... heh, come on." Kano put his helmet back on, mounted his horse again, and took up his bow and arrows.

So far, Kano had never exhausted his stamina. Or rather, his physique now resembled that of a Titan from myth—so long as he stood upon the earth, his stamina was limitless.

Sean put on a magnificent suit of armor, carrying a longbow in his hand and a treasured sword at his waist. Thomas led over a chestnut steed for him. Sean swung himself into the saddle and faced Kano from afar.

"If I defeat you, let me fight King Mark's grudge tomorrow. How about it?"

"So that's what you're thinking? Haha, if you win, we'll do as you say." Kano nodded in agreement.

King Mark was Tristan's uncle, and in Sean's eyes, he was his ancestor as well. He felt somewhat embarrassed that his ancestor Tristan had entrusted the matter of resolving the grudge to an outsider.

The warhorses stood on opposite sides. The two men looked at each other through the slits in their helmets and drew their bows and nocked their arrows at the same time.

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