The sky was clear. It was a perfect day to go out, especially after coaxing the male lead to come along.
I arrived at the training ground, gently fanning the fan Emily had given me, but I didn't enter right away. I kept my distance and observed from afar.
Eckart, known as the Sword of the Empire, placed great importance on the knights' training time, so I couldn't just barge in.
'I don't want to get a scolding like last time.'
Fortunately, my thoughts were correct. Training was in full swing at the training ground.
I hid behind the trees and peeked at the training ground.
Some were paired up for physical training, others were dragging heavy metal blocks around the training ground, and some were practicing cutting dummies with wooden swords.
Wooden swords were typically used by squire apprentices.
I scanned the area, looking for Eclis.
When I finally found him, my expression soured.
'Why is he standing alone in the corner, looking so pitiful...?'
Unlike the other squire apprentices who were lined up in rows, he was training far away from them.
I had suspected he was being isolated, but seeing it with my own eyes made me feel uneasy.
However, as I watched him train, those thoughts faded away.
Thud, Thwack!
The newly knighted were practicing thrusting and striking the vital points of straw dummies.
However, Eclis was not just thrusting and striking; he was almost butchering the dummies.
Swish, Bang!
Every time he swung his wooden sword, the large straw dummy was sliced like a vegetable.
Straw dust flew everywhere. It wasn't cut by sword energy but by sheer force, causing it to break.
'Oh, is that the mark of a Sword Master?'
Of course, not knowing much about swordsmanship, I was just impressed.
It wasn't until later that I realized how wrong my thoughts were.
The long pole exposed by the completely shredded straw met Eclis' blind swing.
Crack!
With a loud tearing sound, the wooden sword in his hand broke into two pieces.
Eclis stood still, staring blankly at the broken pieces of wood.
"Hey!"
At that moment,
"Damn it, how many times are you going to break it! Are you going to pay for the wooden sword, you brat!"
Thud! Someone quickly approached and kicked Eclis in the stomach without mercy.
'Who the hell is this guy trying to shorten someone's lifespan!'
I barely managed to hold myself back from rushing out.
I decided it was better to observe the situation first rather than act rashly.
True to his nature as the male lead, Eclis didn't fall backward. He just took a few steps back.
But the guy who hit him seemed even more enraged by this.
"Hey, aren't you going to prostrate yourself?"
"...I'm sorry. I'll be more careful in the future..."
"Is this the first time you've broken it? Do you know how much trouble it is to order new wooden swords every time! Forget it, prostrate yourself."
"..."
"Prostrate yourself, brat!"
"...I am currently in training. I will accept the punishment after the training is over."
Eclis bowed his head and replied.
From his words, it seemed the guy who started the trouble was a knight responsible for managing the training equipment.
Eclis' response was reasonable.
It was common for training tools to break, so they usually bought cheap ones in bulk.
Therefore, it was very unfair to humiliate and punish someone for breaking a cheap wooden sword in front of everyone.
However, Eclis' calm acceptance of the punishment after training was very familiar.
Looking at his expressionless face, I just thought, 'He's doomed.'
"Hey, look at this. A slave has no business training! Aren't you going to prostrate yourself quickly?"
"..."
"Wow, you have some nerve, don't you?"
Because Eclis wasn't listening, the guy became even more agitated and started slapping Eclis' cheeks.
"You've got the wrong end of the stick, brat. The rope you're holding is a rotten hemp rope."
"..."
"When Miss Ibon returns, do you think she'll care about a mere slave? She can't even take care of herself."
"Do not insult my master."
At that moment, Eclis, who had been staring at the ground, suddenly lifted his head and spoke.
The knight who was hitting him burst into a mocking laugh.
"Why? You're insulting your own lord, who doesn't even show his face. Can't you insult him a little? Huh?"