Chapter 12: Chapter 11 – Bullies and Her Strong Will

Arriving in the hallway with great joy and anticipation, Aoh realized it would be best to suppress her excitement and maintain the demeanor of a dignified guest. With poise, she walked down the winding corridor and reached the main house.

In the courtyard, Aoh recalls her first morning in the town. The sun had already risen and the golden light mixed with the morning mist created a bright yet not overly dazzling scenery.

Aoh placed her slender fingers on the slightly damp flower and stood on the path, observing the courtyard. There were indeed people practicing swords.

Osmund Alkayde was dressed in his barbarous yet chivalrous outfit, with half of his shoulder and chest exposed by his armor, instructing several young children. Aoh noticed two additional young teens sitting on bamboo chairs and watching the practice, who she assumed were Alkayde's subordinates.

Aoh stood at the corner, quietly watching the young men swing, hack, pierce, and slash with their swords. She focused her attention on the town guardian as he demonstrated.

Alkayde was heard scolding the young kids, shouting, "Weaklings! All of you, put some effort into it! Just look at you, disheartened and sluggish! Is this how aspiring knights should behave?" The loud reprimand echoed through the surrounding forest, making those who heard it feel uneasy.

Fatty Pyke appeared to be on the brink of retaliating.

Alkayde interrupted Pyke and scolded the others, saying, "I'm not talking about you, Pyke. Your sword swings were actually pretty strong. The rest of you, however, are a bunch of weaklings. You look disheartened and uninspired. Is this how you aspire to be knights? Haven't you all eaten in a few days? How could your sword swings be so weak and powerless? Are you wasting my time?" Alkayde gestured to everyone but Pyke as he berated them.

"Do you know how hard it is to become a knight? With your current standards, you'll be lucky to become hired freelancers for the MeeLays. You might not even pass the qualifications to become a knight and will have to go back to farming. The only time you'll be enlisted as knights is during a big war, and even then, you'll only serve as cannon fodder on the battlefield. If you survive, you'll only receive a moderate amount of payment," Alkayde continued.

Aoh was a little anxious as she watched Alkayde scold his apprentices. She wondered if she, as a guest, would also be scolded so severely if she became his apprentice. It would be very humiliating if she was insulted like this.

Alkayde continued, "The MeeLays Regional Guardian claims to have 20,000 military forces and hires various adventurers, but in reality, there are only less than 3,000 official foot soldiers in the army. To recruit soldiers, you need funds and provisions, and only real men can become MeeLays' official foot soldiers. The funds and provisions given to the official foot soldiers are several times higher than those given to common households. As for knights, even in the entire region, there are only one hundred of them. In my Alkayde clan, which is a vassal house of the MeeLays, there are only four knights: myself, Anand, Magnus, and your uncle, So. We have to guard this town. I had hoped you would help me share this burden in the future, but now it seems like passing the knight's qualifications is a pipe dream. It's already a good result if one in a hundred passes the test. Do you understand how fierce the competition is to become a knight?"

"If you do, go and practice as if your life depended on it!" said Osmund, which sparked excitement in Aoh.

Amara had previously mentioned that adventurers are freelancers and failed to pass the entrance exam or those who want freedom and simple life the most, leading Aoh to consider becoming a knight without holding any prejudices. However, Aoh was aware that the strength disparity between the knights was also very huge and that Amara, who did not pursue the path of a knight but was still stronger and mastered those secret books, was proof of this.

Despite the difficult and ruthless journey ahead, Aoh was determined to pursue it with determination, with the goal of making Amara proud. She donned her wooden sandals and headed to the front yard, which was traditionally only reserved for the men.

Osmund finally noticed Aoh and approached her, setting his wooden sword aside. He asked, "Miss Aoh, how are you feeling after your rest?" Aoh felt dispirited by this, but appreciated that Osmund, being an upright gentleman, didn't get too close to her. She responded by saying, "Please stop teasing me."

Osmund explained, "I'm not teasing you, I'm just relieved that you look much better now after your journey with the Grandmaster. However, this is a place where rough feral kids practice swords, and it's not appropriate for a beautiful young lady like yourself to watch." He suggested that Aoh go talk to the mistress in the backyard.

Aoh declined the offer, explaining that she was not interested in talking to an old woman as she had heard from Amara that rich ladies often held racial prejudices against non-humans. Rather, she went on to explain, "The truth is, Aoh has always been very interested in swordsmanship. She wondered if the town guardian could teach her a little?"

"Miss Aoh wants to learn swordsmanship?" Osmund Alkayde expressed surprise on his strict face as he observed her. "This uncivilized, brutal way of killing, I don't think it's necessary for a graceful and noble young lady like yourself to experience it."

Aoh had a sincere expression as she replied, "Master, thank you for your kind words. But when facing demons and bandits, being graceful and noble won't always save Aoh. Aoh just wants to be able to defend herself when the need arises."

Osmund Alkayde half understood Aoh's reason and smiled as he helplessly shook his head. "Alright, since you wish to learn, I will comply. Please come over here and give it a try. But remember, sometimes ignorance can be bliss. Knowing how to fight with a sword can be dangerous for a beautiful young lady like yourself."

Aoh acknowledged Osmund's advice with a nod, "I understand your concern, but I have my own reasons for wanting to learn swordsmanship."

Osmund Alkayde shook his head helplessly as he looked at Aoh and heard her peculiar way of speaking. From his perspective, it was probably just a passing fancy or curiosity. After all, in these troubled times, people held a deep reverence for martial skills, and many women were influenced by this trend. However, most of them were just passive onlookers.

As Aoh walked over to Osmund, seemingly with the intention to join the boys, the rotund Pyke erupted into loud laughter.

"Hahaha, look at this soft-skinned weak girl who wants to learn swordsmanship. A demihuman? I might as well go learn singing and dancing too! Awooooooh!" Pyke condescendingly looked down at Aoh. He even made some ugly, comical dance moves and barked like a dog, implying that he had negative remarks reserved for her.

"Hahahahahaha!" The surrounding boys also laughed together.

Osmund Alkayde scolded the boys for their rudeness, "Don't be impolite! Miss Aoh is a noble young lady from the Silver Wolf Tribe. Don't let fools like you reflect poorly on us! Why are you laughing? Women are inherently weaker and slower. They are not meant to practice swordsmanship. But can you give birth? Can you take care of the house? Men work the fields, women weave, each has their role since ancient times. You are men, you should show kindness and cherish women of all races! Miss Aoh wants to learn swordsmanship, so watch and don't mock her."

Although Osmund didn't believe that a skinny girl like Aoh could handle a sword, he didn't want to discourage her strong determination to learn. He thought that indulging her whims wouldn't hurt, even if it was just a wooden sword.

To practice swordsmanship, one needs a sword. Osmund pointed to the storeroom in the courtyard and said, "Magnus, bring a wooden sword for the young lady."

"Why go through so much trouble?" Fatty Pyke extended his wooden sword, giving the appearance of giving it to Aoh but also seeming to threaten her with it. The tip of the sword swayed near Aoh's mouth as if to provoke her.

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"So fast!" Aoh was taken aback by Pyke's sudden, powerful, and precise swing of the wooden sword that created a wave of wind. Despite its speed, Aoh could see everything clearly.

In this world, strength was more important than a person's character, as even monsters and demons ran rampant. Aoh already understood this and wasn't ashamed or angry at Pyke's provocation. Her body didn't retreat and her eyes showed no fear. If she was scared by a young thug, how could she move forward in the future?

"What?" Osmund was shocked that Aoh wasn't intimidated by Pyke's provocation. She didn't retreat, a reaction that would have been expected from a subconscious self-defense mechanism in most women. Aoh's quick crisis detection and mastery of space allowed her to accurately judge the distance of her opponent's sword.

"Pyke!" Osmund Alkayde shouted sternly, "Step down!" Pyke retreated a few steps, cursing under his breath.

"Miss Aoh, please follow me," Magnus said, dressed in thick brown clothes and an iron vest, with an honest and sincere appearance. Aoh followed him to the storeroom, which was her first time in an armory.

Despite being small, the room was filled with longbows and spears, as well as swords that were arranged neatly on desks. Although the workmanship was simple, Aoh still felt excited. She thought to herself, "These are swords, I want them! If I had one, I wouldn't have to be so reserved anymore. Even though Aarom wouldn't let me have one before he left."

Aoh couldn't help but reach out to grab the sword that was laid out in the center. The swords were set up with the blade pointing up, and they were shorter than the sword she and Amara had wielded before. By its thin width, Aoh recognized it as an Estoc.

Estocs were known for their small curvature, quick draw, and lightweight. They allowed for a fast and smooth action, unsheathing the sword and thrusting it into the enemy in one swift motion. However, its striking power was inferior to that of heavier swords.

"Miss Aoh!" Magnus warned, raising his voice, "Please be careful. Those are iron swords used for actual combat, and they are very sharp. The wooden swords for practice are over there." Aoh felt that Magnus was looking down on her and secretly thought, "They're clearly sheathed in the scabbard, what's so dangerous about it?"

She arrived beside the wooden swords that were stacked up near the doorway. These wooden swords were varied in length, but Aoh personally preferred a longsword over the shorter ones. She remembered her master practicing behind the inn, mastering the art of wielding all sorts of swords with elegance. So, she went to the last row and picked up a wooden sword that resembled a typical longsword.

“Oh? Are you going to choose that, Miss Aoh? For a young girl, although the blood of a silver wolf runs through your veins, I believe those short swords will be better…” Magnus advised with good intentions. However, Aoh was determined to use a longsword.

“Aoh feels that this length is just good enough for her,” Aoh replied confidently. Although the wooden sword was much lighter than an iron sword, its length still made it quite heavy. But, after Aoh grasped the wooden sword with her delicate fingers and sharp nails, she did not feel any weight at all.

When the brats saw Aoh coming out with a long wooden sword, they all burst into laughter. But Aoh was undeterred and stood firm, ready to demonstrate her skills and prove her worth..

Osmund Alkayde shook his head with a smile, "Miss Aoh, as a beginner, it is common to choose a longsword because they believe the longer the sword, the safer and more advantageous it is. However, the longer the sword, the more difficult it is to handle and swing. Even drawing the sword can become challenging if it is too long. I suggest you choose a different sword."

Pyke taunted her again, "That's right! You've never swung a sword before, yet you picked such a long one. You sure know how to pick, slave beauty!"

Despite the teasing, she remained determined, "Master, may Aoh have a try?"

Osmund noticed the way Aoh was gazing at the sword and found it unusual. He said seriously, "This sword is three feet and seven inches long, making it one of the longest swords that people of average height can wear on their waist. It will be challenging to swing a wooden sword this long."

Aoh also looked at Osmund seriously and bowed, "May Aoh request for the master's tutelage?"

Osmund was surprised and agreed, "Alright, Miss Aoh. I assume you have no prior experience with fencing, so before the demonstration, let me give you a brief introduction. Our small region's knights use these sword skills in actual combat."

Osmund continued, "Sword techniques for real combat are straightforward and simple, with only two main elements: attack and defense. The goal is to attack and defeat your opponent in one strike."

"Attack! And take down your opponent in one blow!"

"Defend, that is to put everything on the line to survive and don’t let yourself get hit!”

“Real combat is just that simple, and a very cruel thing. The basic attack skill consists of wave, chop, hack, strike, pierce, and stab. You will need accuracy, quickness, determination, and ability to seize the right timing! And for a swordsman, other than skills and power, they also cultivate their mind to comprehend the way of conducting themselves! Comprehending the way of the sword is tantamount to comprehend the way of life, the way of governing.”

"In combat, defense involves risking everything to stay alive and avoid being hit. The fundamental skills of attacking include wave, chop, hack, strike, pierce, and stab. To succeed in battle, precision, speed, determination, and the ability to choose the right moment are necessary. A swordsman must also cultivate their mind to understand the way of the sword, which is a metaphor for understanding the way of life and governance."

"Naturally, the steps are extremely important. Miss Aoh, I will demonstrate once, you look closely." Osmund then turned to Aoh and invited her to observe his demonstration.

Osmund stood beside a tree and raised the wooden sword in front of him. In a split second, his eyes became sharp and an aura of sword intent enveloped his body. With a shout, he swung the sword and took a powerful step forward, causing the entire tree to shake. The power and precision of Osmund's sword swing left Aoh in awe.

Aoh was impressed by Osmund's mastery of the sword. The wooden sword seemed to have the strength of an iron sword, as if it could split a rock or the big tree in front of them. Osmund then turned to Aoh and said, "Miss Aoh, how about you also give it a try."

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