Chapter 5: 5 Castle Dignitas

"Melody, please do me a favour and repeat that?"

"You have no justification. You can not attack Nowen Barony, without first seeking permission from the Viscount your father had sworn fealty to, and then the Viscount would pass on your suggestion to his direct-superior, a Count, then an Earl, and then the Duke. 

Unless, you have credible justification."

"So, being attacked by his soldiers and knights isn't enough reason to fight back? To retaliate?" "What the crap? This is some horse-shit if I've ever seen any."

"Their justification for that attack, was due to your attempted assault on a lady..."

"You don't honestly believe I would do such a thing right?"

 

Staring straight into her eyes, Melody faltered as her eyes spun and evaded his. "Ugh. Let alone her, I'm not even sure..."

"W-wait... Melody, did I? Have I ever made an attempt on you!?"

The blonde-maid hid her eyes from her young-lord, as she refused to answer.

Greatly shocked by the lack of an answer, Artemis almost backhanded himself across the cheeks, staying his fist only due to the desire to appear sane, and not bat-shit crazy. "Alright... leave me be, let me rest..." Shooing the woman out of his room, he laid back upon the uncomfortable bed meant for soldiers, wondering as to how he had ended up in such a world.

 

Having witnessed life fade before his very eyes, as well as having taken lives with his own hands, he no longer tried to blanket reality with a wishful-story such as being a victim of a prank-show. Looking over towards the bed stand, a small mirror reflected a young-boy who stared right back him.

Taking the moment to inspect himself properly, he wondered as to why his hair appeared a dull grey, as well as his eyes. Colours unnatural, if it was within modern-day Earth's sense of norm.

Weakly sighing, as years of diligence, discipline and hard work lifting dumbbells and sprinting upon treadmills evaporated without warning. Having to start from scratch, being mostly skin and bone, Artemis almost cried a single tear of self-pity.

 

[Artemis Dignitas: Lvl 3]
[Title: Useless Trash]
[Skills unlocked:]

[Beginner Swordsmanship]
5% boost in One Handed Sword damage

 

"What can I do with this? Why didn't I receive another skill when I hit level 3?"

 

Feeling like dogshit, from the self-pity and moping around that wasn't like him at all, he threw himself out of bed and marched out in search of answers.

Dressed in a simply white oversized tunic, black pants and soft-brown leather boots. He quickly came across a knight that barely gave him any notice. In fact, the man was hoping that Artemis wouldn't even bother him, as he had much more important matters to tend to, such as relaxing on the post.

"You, do we have any books?"

Fiddling with the bucket-helm in his hand, the man couldn't help but chuckle. "Young lord, for what do you desire books? Have you forgotten your inability to read?"

The man found it hilarious that he wanted something he had so fervently fled from. As if it were his biggest weakness, his bane. As a knight himself, he had to go through mandatory classes, as reading and writing, to communicate with lords with orders and reports was one of minimum requirements to rise to a knight. Perhaps if it were a soldier, then the likelihood of finding one who was educated would lessen to a noticeable degree.

 

"So we don't have any here? What about purchasing them? Or maps?"

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The knight sighed, as the young-boy appeared persistent this time around. 

"We have none of the sort young sir, such valuable information is naturally kept within the baron's manor. Where it is safe from theft and assault..." He face-palmed, as even such basic common-knowledge failed to attach itself upon the non-existent brain of the young lord.

 

"Damn... Am I that hated? To the point that no one but Melody is willing to spare me any time of the day?"

Continuing his march through the castle halls, he saw many soldiers appearing overwhelmingly busy with repairs and reconstruction. Seeing their sense of urgency, Artemis kept his questions to himself as he felt increasingly isolated and alone.

 

Still refusing to mope around aimlessly, and waste time, he entered what appeared to be the training hall. As wooden swords, shields and spears decorated racks, and straw-dummies stood within the middle.

Plucking a wooden sword himself, he found the training tool that imitated a short-sword to be rather heavy, as each swing pulled him off his feet, surging him forward as the momentum fought against his centre of balance.

Although having never learnt swordsmanship, a strange profound feeling crept over his muscle-memory as he performed strikes that were cleaner than he had imagined. Just like the movies he had seen of spartans, romans and gladiators, he imitated their strikes as his muscles tore and ached.

Within the 30 minutes of repeating a basic set of sword strikes, microtears had covered his muscle-fibres as his lungs gasped for sweet-sweet oxygen.

Seeing the white-tunic drenched through in sweat, clinging to his body that was near anorexic. He once again almost self-pitied himself as his literal ribcages were poking out of his skin.

 

"My Lord. A meal for energy, and water to sate your thirst?" Melody spoke, breaking him out of his little-bubble, as she had been sitting by the stands for a while now. A little smile appeared upon her face, as she had held herself back from interrupting his concentration.

Seeing the young-man march on over, and gobble the loaf of bread, washing it down his throat with the water. She smiled further more as he was finally eating more than usual.

"The workout must've been hard on you... You typically only take a single bite, before returning to alcohol and wine." Within her mind, she recalled the numerous memories of him ignoring food and surviving off only the calories within wheat-beer. Only to vomit it all up later, due to overindulgence, resulting in his skeletal-state.

 

"Is there seconds?" Having shoved the bread, which provided the much needed calories, carbs, small amount but highly desired protein, fat, fibre and many vitamins and minerals. Artemis was quick to ask for more, as no matter how much and how diligently he trained. Without a proper nutrition to fuel and fund his body, little to no progress would be made.

 

From a bench along the side, Melody brought over another tray of loaf and water. Catching sight of the word "Melody" inscribed onto the wooden-cup, he gave the maid a quick head pat before turning around.

"Actually, I've eaten too much. I don't want it anymore."

Plucking the wooden sword off the cold stone ground, he resumed his training, albeit slower as he had yet to fully digest his meal.

 

 

 

[Artemis Dignitas: Lvl 3]
[Title: Useless Trash]
[Skills unlocked:]

[Beginner Swordsmanship]
6% boost in One Handed Sword damage

[Stamina]
1% boost in Stamina

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