by M Sisa
To think that two out of four had already given up after just a couple of hours, the screening for the soldiers was indeed effective in weeding out those undetermined to become one.
Well, Austen could not blame them. If not for the stamina he has honed from several years of running errands for other people, he would have already collapsed just from the first part of the training alone.
After practicing the basic movements of the spear, a kid called Anthony came over and began handing out food to the soldiers. Austen was fascinated upon learning that it was actually that kid’s job. He even heard that it paid quite well, too.
Austen decided to ask some of his siblings to apply for the same position later on, if there were any vacancies.
After the meal, the soldiers moved towards the southern district. They entered a structure resembling a temple: the Training Hall, designed to provide battle experience to the soldiers. According to his fellow soldiers, this was built just recently.
“We’re supposed to… fight those things?” Austen rubbed his eyes in disbelief upon seeing the monsters standing at the center of the arena. They all held wooden spears, their grotesque bodies made entirely of iron.
Judging by the reactions of the other soldiers, this was not the first time they had seen those monsters. Austen had no choice but to stiffen the muscles on his legs to prevent them from running for the way out.
Those things looked grotesque and scary, but they should be harmless. It was the only feasible explanation, Austen thought.
For the sake of the newcomers, Captain Qarat explained how to use the Training Hall. With a metallic spear in hand, he went inside the arena and started sparring with one of the metallic monsters.
The fight went on for several minutes. Eventually, the spear of the Captain went flying. The metallic monster kicked him right at the abdomen, making him fly and roll through the ground several times. Austen’s eyes widened when he saw the Captain spit out blood after standing up.
What the hell.
This was not a spar.
This was a bloody slaughter.
If they kept fighting those things, they would all die.
But as though refuting what was on Austen’s mind, the stone pillars surrounding the arena glowed. Particles of light starting forming on the Captain’s body, and after a few seconds, the scratches and bruises on his skin dissipated.
Captain Qarat went down the arena. “This place is special. As you have noticed, just now, I used healing magic.” He stared straight into Austen’s eyes. “You can use it too, as long as you are inside this arena. It’s surprisingly easy, believe me.”
Austen was stunned.
Use magic? He never heard of something so convenient before. There would be an uproar if such an innovation was revealed to the Kingdom.
He looked at the other man from the slums. He, too, was gawking at what transpired. He gripped his metallic spear tight. It seemed that despite the shock, he was slowly coming to accept the things happening before his very eyes.
“Can I try it?” the man from the slums said.
Captain Qarat chuckled. “Of course.” He pointed at Austen. “You too. Go up there and try to fight them. Don’t worry, they won’t kill you.”
After the Captain vaguely explained to them how to use healing magic in this special area, the two of them – the newbies under probation – stepped inside the arena. As though the metallic monsters understood, two of them stepped forward and faced the humans.
Outside the arena, Captain Qarat shouted, “Ah, just so you know. There’s only one person who have won against them. And that’s Commander Anandra. So don’t worry about beating those things! Just think of them as sparring partners!”
Captain Qarat clapped his hands once. “Begin!”
That was the signal. The metallic monsters charged towards the new recruits. Their wooden spears split through the air and struck the bodies of the two humans.
Austen gnashed his teeth. Not even ten seconds had passed since the battle started and he was already sent flying by his opponent. He had the urge to vomit the food he ate just an hour ago.
Healing Magic! This special area enables us to use healing magic, right?!
With these thoughts, he focused all his mind into healing his wounds. Strangely enough, the entire hall seemed to have understood his intentions. The symbols on the stone pillars glowed and the wounds on his body started to heal on their own.
Austen gripped his spear tight. Now that he had been fully healed, he planned on getting revenge on the metallic bastard. He did not have to win. He just wanted to land even a single hit.
“This damn monster!” growled Austen.
With crude movements, Austen stabbed at the metallic monster with the spear. The creature easily evaded it and retaliated with a slash from above. Austen jumped to the side and rolled twice on the ground, but before he could even get back on his feet, he was once again struck by a spear to the stomach.
Austen vomited blood. His vision blurred.
Heal. Damn it. Heal!
The stone pillars responded to his will. After sucking a portion of his mana, his body regenerated. He dashed towards the metallic monster and once again attempted to land a single blow on its body. He stabbed, sliced, and pulled the spear.
Like an adult playing with a toddler, the metallic monster flicked away Austen’s spear, before sending a kick to his stomach. The pain lasted only for a second as Austen was starting to get used to using healing magic by now. The moment he was hit, he immediately cast the healing magic.
His sparring partner must have not expected Austen to heal himself immediately, since it simply stood there, its eyes emotionlessly gazing at him. Austen used this opening. He grabbed the shaft of his spear and like a javelin, threw it at his opponent. The metallic monster evaded by sidestepping and the spear struck nothing but the ground.
“Tsk. Damn it,” growled Austen.
The metallic creature dashed towards Austen and stabbed him thrice on his chest. Austen felt several of his ribs creak and break. His vision started blackening and he found it hard to breathe.
Heal!
Once again, he made use of this special area. Like the undead, Austen got back on his feet, grabbed the spear stabbed on the ground, and charged at the metallic monster once again.
Again. And again. And again.
Austen kept healing his body as soon as he was injured by his opponent. For some reason, his primal instinct wished to land even just a single blow to this metallic monster.
“H-Hey! That’s enough!”
Captain Qarat shouted.
But Austen healed himself and charged at his opponent once again.
“STOP!”
Only after Qarat grabbed his hands and personally stopped him from recklessly charging again did Austen stop.
Looking around, Austen realized that everyone’s eyes were glued to him. Some were even looking at him as though he was some monster.
“That’s enough,” said Captain Qarat.
Austen loosened his grip of the spear. He looked at the metallic monster. Like before, the creature’s gaze was empty, as though it did not consider Austen as an opponent at all.
“How many times did you use healing magic?” Captain Qarat looked conflicted.
Austen tried counting but failed.
Captain Qarat frowned. “I’ve lost count, but it’s definitely more than twelve times.”
Wasn’t it supposed to be like that? This was the purpose of this special area, right? Austen was about to ask what’s wrong when the Captain opened his mouth.
“Twelve times,” repeated the Captain. “An average soldier is capable of using healing magic for only two to three times.”
The Captain stared at him. “You… What are you?”
Chapter Three
Lark received news about the irregular. The soldier capable of using healing magic more than a dozen times. His interest piqued; he summoned the man into his room in the mansion.
“Young Master,” said a servant. “They’re here.”
“Come in.”
Lark put down the document he was reading. Two men came into the room. One of them was Captain Qarat, a brown-skinned man wearing leather armor. The other one reminded Lark of a walking twig. He was tall but thin, and the tunic he was wearing had several holes in it. Judging by his sunken cheeks, cracked lips, and protruding eyes, this man had not eaten anything decent for the past several weeks.
“Is he the one?” Lark went straight to the point.
Captain Qarat made a salute. “Yes, Young Lord.”
Under the scrutinizing gaze of Lark, the thin man shrank his shoulders. He tried to imitate the salute of the Captain but failed. “I… I’m Austen, Sir! It’s a pleasure to meet the Young Master!”
Despite stuttering, Austen managed to dish out a decent greeting. He tried his best to avoid the gaze of the Young Master. For some reason, the man’s pair of blue eyes felt eerie. It was looking at him as though he was some fine specimen.
There was a momentary silence.
Did he greet the noble the wrong way? For a moment, Austen was worried.
“Interesting,” Lark finally said, a smile forming on his lips. “Have you ever used magic before this?”
There was no need to think. Austen immediately shook his head. “No, Sir.”
“Then it’s probably inherent,” said Lark. “I heard you have several siblings? I want to meet them after this.”
Austen swallowed.
Why did the Young Master wish to see his brothers and sisters? Austen heard that all nobles had their own quirks and peculiarities. The worst possibilities started coming to his mind. He shivered at these thoughts.
The fear within Austen’s eyes were apparent. Lark reassured the aspiring soldier, “Don’t worry. I won’t harm the kids. I’ll just be… confirming a few things.”
Lark stood up and approached Austen. “Do not move.”
Lark touched Austen’s forehead, and immediately, something turbulent erupted within Austen’s chest. It was as though a plug within his chest had been removed, and a raging river suddenly flowed through. Austen felt queasy. He almost vomited on the carpeted ground.
The moment Lark removed his hand, the turbulent sensation vanished in an instant.
“What a lucky find,” mumbled Lark. He stared at Austen, his eyes glimmering with curiosity.
“Captain Qarat,” said Lark.
The Captain had been standing there quietly for some time now. “Young Master?”
“Remove this man from the military,” said Lark.
Austen flinched. He looked at Lark, then at Captain Qarat, then back at Lark.
There was a moment of hesitation, but Qarat eventually replied, “Understood.”
Like Gaston, the Captain had come to realize the greatness of the Young Master. The recent war with the beastmen have solidified this belief even further. He had come to learn not to question the Young Master’s orders.
“W-Wait!” Austen was flustered. “What do you mean, Young Master? I haven’t failed the assessment test yet! I haven’t given up yet!”
Lark gazed at him with eyes filled with understanding. “That’s not it. Ah, what was your name again?”
“Austen, Young Master.”
Lark smiled. “Austen,” he repeated. “Listen, you’ll be wasting your talent if you join the military.”
Austen shot a quizzical gaze. He could not understand what the Young Master was trying to convey.
“What do you mean, Sir?”
“You have innate talent in magic,” said Lark. “Well, to be precise, it’s not really talent… it’s more of potential.”
Austen was becoming more puzzled as time went by.
When Lark tried making contact with the flowing mana of Austen, he had come to learn of a couple of things. First, this man had never used magic before coming to this town. The impurities of his mana proved that. Second, this man had an incredibly large mana pool that surpassed even that of Lark’s. By the size of mana pool alone, this man should be able to cast one to two Grand Scale Magic on his own.
Lark did not know how the man came to possess such massive reserves, but back in the Magic Empire, there had been cases of people being born with larger than normal mana pool. He was probably among them.
Even if this man did not have a talent in casting magic, him learning even a simple fireball spell would boost Blackstone Town’s military might. After all, even such a simple spell would be lethal when backed by massive reserves of mana.
As such, it would be a waste for him to stay in the military without any proper guidance on using magic.
“Fifty silvers a month,” said Lark. “Plus your own house in the eastern border. How does that sound?”
Austen’s jaw slacked. What was happening? Was the young master trying to offer him a better job?
“Ah, sorry.” Lark realized that he had not explained enough. “Leave the military and become my apprentice instead. Fifty silvers a month is the starting salary. Of course, there’s room for a raise later on. How does that sound?”
Become the apprentice of the Young Master? The butler of this town held so much authority, how much more if one was a direct apprentice of the Lord? Not only that – the offered monthly salary was four times as those of the military.
Austen swallowed dry spit. He bobbed his head thrice. “If… If you’re alright with me! Then, yes, Young Master!”
“If you’re alright with me?” imitated Lark. He chuckled. “What a wonderful find, and he doesn’t seem conceited, which is a plus.”
Lark fumbled in his pockets and took out ten silvers. He handed it to Austen. “Here.”
Austen stared at the coins in his hand. “This is…”
“Pocket money,” said Lark. He frowned as he scrutinized Austen’s body. “You’re too thin. Gain some weight. Buy yourself some food and clothes. You can’t train with such an emaciated body.”
The so-called ‘pocket money’ was a massive amount. Austen could not believe he was receiving it just like that.
“Chantless magic is too advanced for a beginner,” said Lark. “We’ll start with the basics. Runes and hexagram formation. If we have time, or if you’ll learn fast enough, we’ll proceed with voice incantations.”
Lark tapped him on the shoulder. He grinned. “For now, go back home and rest. We’ll start the basic training tomorrow morning.”
***
[Golden Wheat City]
Lord Chase and all of his officials busily moved in preparation of the King’s arrival. Just a few hours ago, they received news that the King was coming here to personally inspect the state of Golden Wheat City, the Kingdom’s main source of wheat.
The streets where the convoy will pass through was swept clean, and soldiers lined up to form a barricade. Even off-duty soldiers were deployed to secure the protection of His Majesty.
Of course, this puzzled the citizens. Such tight security meant that the person coming was of a very high status. Was it one of the Dukes? Numerous rumors began spreading among the citizens.
Soon, the anticipated guests arrived. The entire convoy was heavily guarded by cavalries and knights.
When they saw the insignia of the Royal Family, everyone was stunned upon realizing that the King had personally come to inspect the city. The window of the cart slid open, and an old man started waving at the commoners.
It was a familiar face – the same face engraved on copper coins the residents use in their everyday lives.
“I-It’s the King!”
“The King has personally visited us!”
“Long live His Majesty!”
“Long live His Majesty!”
The curious murmurs from before quickly escalated into shouts of glee. Everyone was thrilled upon knowing that the King took the trouble of coming here despite the distance. After all, it would take at least a week by cart to arrive here from the Capital.
The soldiers, briefed
beforehand that someone very important was going to come, successfully suppressed the eager crowd. The officials of Golden Wheat City were glad that the procession went perfectly well despite being notified only a few hours ago of the King’s arrival.
When the King arrived at the Lord’s Castle, dozens of officials were already waiting there.
“Greetings to Your Majesty,” the officials said in unison.
Most of the officials in this city were of common birth. To a majority of them, this was the first time they’ll be meeting someone from the Royal Family – and not just anyone! They were meeting the King himself! They could not help but stiffen from nervousness.
Lord Chase bowed his head. “Your Majesty, thank you for visiting Golden Wheat City. We’ve prepared a feast upon hearing of your arrival. This way, if you please.”
King Alvis had heard of Lord Chase’s feats before. A commoner who climbed the ranks of hierarchy and eventually became the Lord of a city. The same Lord who transformed the vast forests surrounding the city into wheat fields. The Lord who did not discriminate between commoners and nobles. The Lord who hired officials based on their abilities.
Truthfully speaking, if possible, he would have loved to include Lord Chase among the candidates for the throne. But that single decision would spark civil war in this Kingdom, and thus, the King decided to settle with just the children of the three Dukes.
“A feast, huh?” The King shook his head. “There’s no need for that. I’m only staying here for a short moment. I merely want to see with my own eyes the state of Golden Wheat City.”
It was understandable, since this city produced almost half of all the wheats in the Kingdom.
Lord Chase looked conflicted. If possible, he wanted the King to take a short rest. Eventually, he conceded, “As you wish, Your Majesty.”
“Bring the Knights. We’ll escort His Majesty,” Lord Chase said to the officials.
“Yes, my Lord!”
With over a dozen knights guarding the King, they went out of the City and inspected the fields. The King smiled refreshingly upon seeing the farmers working tirelessly.