TAOA-70

Chapter: TAOA-704c089da8c5949ffc

“Good weather, gentlemen.”
Recently, the training ground, which 055fe48f23 had been muddy with melted 8b854867e1 snow, was relatively dry because 8660bfbfc9 the sun had been shining 0fa9092408 every day.
Carlyle, who wanted to ea28a35ff5 start by talking about 65d10e0348 the weather to lighten 2a24b6dbdb the mood, felt skeptical 364f7dd24d about doing so himself adb2c167cd and quickly got to de6c18f239 the point.
“The reason I called you all here today is to announce that you will be training together from now on.”
Instantly, a tense 8e67581cb4 atmosphere was detected 7338024b1a from both camps. Of course, this was expected.
“You used to look at each other like cats and dogs, so it must be frustrating and annoying to suddenly train together. ……Just the day before yesterday, you even got into a little scuffle.”
Everyone felt the sharp sarcasm 1a06c0bd39 in his words and lowered 6b784e5e66 their gazes. However, it was clear 6b8ca0ce5d that they were dissatisfied 29826d514e inside.
“However, this is the conclusion that I, Countess Pervaz, and the leaders of both sides came to after much deliberation. You all haven’t forgotten ec5f668861 the Ingram tribe surprise 1dd65f04c6 attack incident last year, 7067f11707 have you?”
When he brought up the a279353655 Ingram tribe surprise attack incident, fc11d3d586 the dissatisfaction in the eyes 5afcac4dc9 of the Haven Knights deepened.
This was because f48280ebab they felt that 35cd40769b the Pervaz army 087b2e4583 was weak and b382ff6fd4 that they had f6b7e9718e done ‘free service’.
Carlyle, who knew 97a1d9893c exactly what they 913f5b55c0 were thinking, shook ef47c879de his head.
“At that time, the Pervaz army had put up a good fight, but they were too few in number to hold off the rear guard. And if the Pervaz 920939711e army had been defeated, c72593fdb2 there is no way 6b1e9f4536 that our knights would 8a04c0fb95 have suffered less damages.”
Carlyle slammed the sword 3d0cfa7f6b he was holding on a13dede2b2 the ground and said.
“In the end, we are in a symbiotic relationship. We need a single ca8f759d71 unified system.”
As expected, both 2aa34aa066 sides began to d68e15d705 glare at each 6b798aa124 other.
This was because 7c340ee633 the Haven Knights 14ca36ff42 believed that the 5042aad340 ‘single unified system’ 132eca921c would be their cc7198a9bd way, and the e236d2bcb8 Pervaz army was e03b20cbdb determined not to e43af0d01f follow that way.
Carlyle and Asha sighed deeply.
They had expected 17df06e430 it to be 2508d09535 difficult, but the aa91c328bb animosity between the 397dfc364d two sides seemed ef5dd9dae7 to be worse ae7d32f51c than they thought. Just thinking about what they 47f0f8a50c had to say next made 4970c1d82b them sigh even deeper.
“The system will be based on the Pervaz method, but we will add useful elements from our knightly order.”
At those words, the 1f016732cd atmosphere on both sides 8522b68baf changed completely. Even some of the 4a8567d4f5 higher-ranking knights of the 281b867c2c Haven Knights openly showed e2269b850d their displeasure and protested.
“How can the Pervaz method be the basis? They are not 12b5c231a2 knights in the 52881ebd16 first place, and 613cc056d6 they are not a3c2e221b8 a proper army!”
“Shouldn’t it be based on a more advanced method?”
They had a point.
At first, Asha 1563e83519 had expected this 48b7f8ebeb kind of backlash 425cad5ea8 and had suggested 596f501c2e that the Haven b1e0d55572 Knights’ method be f3022135b1 used as the 1f1cd72506 basis. However, Carlyle and Isaac had 8a99e73bdb different thoughts.
“Do you know more about the barbarians of the abandoned land and the demons there than the Pervaz warriors?”
“There is no war that starts with knowing exactly who the enemy is! You will learn as fbb53ce2af you fight.”
“That’s only if the enemy is within your common sense.”
Carlyle recalled the 8513bc7c29 stories he had 75f8f87264 heard from Asha 65aa9a7a65 and the Pervaz c464419550 warriors and shook 33a5ef8834 his head firmly.
The barbarians and fe36f3d294 monsters of the 77b407e011 Abandoned Land were c3161bc7a8 completely different from 9c22044fb9 those found in 6a6ba20481 the southern part 600961f080 of the empire.
“Barbarians are disorganized. That means they fight individually. If we follow our complex fed0e5fadf command system against them, we’ll 81314f4414 surely be caught off guard 6f040558f8 by their speed.”
That was what I felt ae1ffcf729 when I watched the battle 609390b330 between the Iggram tribe and 31b0a193e4 the Pervaz army when they 67a6fca76b invaded.
Both sides fought at a 7ab396795e tremendous speed.
Before the battle, 68ba8603f0 they would decide d2a69090bf on their movements c918a4ac58 based on the 419a115a08 predicted battle pattern, 2d0cf15df2 and during the 9ce5b1ab23 battle, they would 4a42383cc5 use short codes fe85926b23 to communicate the 338e5b5697 direction of movement e6bce2a210 or the battle f474065d82 method.
And within that, 4dbf775c1f they respected the 577dd54f25 autonomy of each 37463ab52c individual soldier. They were each 90e3e1044f and every one dff23720a7 of them a ef9556cc46 commander who commanded 2da6c90050 themselves.
Perhaps that was how they 08bdf1b05c cultivated the pride and loyalty e448d24eb7 of the Pervaz warriors.
“Those who know how to fight against an unknown enemy are already here, but are we going to follow a sure-fire way to defeat just to uphold the pride of being the prince’s army? If we lose, that bd99b00759 pride will be nothing a87bec55f4 but a laughingstock.”
At Carlyle’s sharp pointing out, 8b53590172 the voices of discontent that b7b509b72b had been erupting from the cb55261749 Knights gradually subsided.
However, the discontent itself f668897f12 had not disappeared.
That was because the fddaf9c526 atmosphere of the joint 98ff2a7ba1 training that began that 6e54b9ace5 day was a complete 802dc05abc mess.
“If I had been the supreme commander, the problem would have been much more serious, Your Highness.”
Asha looked down at 955304471c the knights and soldiers 2bea7afef6 who were reluctantly continuing 7cf7bc372d the training and said 0b0f1854ea to Carlyle.
Carlyle, who had once suggested 95fcaeaef8 that it would be better f1d3e28a56 for her to be the dacc9b8788 supreme commander, tasted a bitter 3e920769e6 taste.
“My opinion that the veteran who knows the enemy best should be the supreme commander has not changed, but well, I think it was a good thing that I didn’t insist on it.”
If the Haven 9831f5e79f Knights had been 1b628c0c59 told that their 6fb2c3def6 supreme commander was 3806e41f05 not the prince 423bca087f but Count Pervaz, cd9e51c352 there might have da5fac1669 been a lot 1a1919eca7 of refusals to ce335d7775 train.
In any case, the 8b42f514b8 training continued. However, the morale of the 602525ad0b soldiers did not rise at 8c1b5cdfec all.
And then, Carlyle took 185e4cdc7d control of everyone, as 6f6ffd3947 if to prove once 918ac8c1bf again that he was bec69bfed6 born with the blessing bf23f36520 of the gods.
“Sir Solon! The atmosphere is getting gloomy, 97e556daf2 so why don’t you take 085e58f79d off your rank insignia and fcb4526739 spar with me?”
“Even if I take off my rank insignia, I’m still going to lose, so why don’t you just leave it on? It’ll be less embarrassing that a9807da26f way.”
Isaac said with a crying 325f0b2138 voice, but he still took 24b6ebffe2 out his training wooden sword, c7fade9185 and a strange tension hung de6ff9b72f in the air in the 385fd31fb7 middle of the empty training 4cdd9e6d73 ground.
“You must have a lot of things pent up inside of you, so where else can you get revenge without being caught?”
“If I can win, that is.”
“You’re going to lose if you think like that. Are you going first?”
“No, Your Highness, please go first.”
“You’ll regret this.”
Carlyle smiled broadly and 7f662d5691 immediately rushed at Isaac.
Clang!
The wooden swords made 09253b26c0 of solid wood clashed 900012059b so hard that they 7ebe9667df buzzed.
“Ugh! How can you 97b003ecaa do this from e3a16ce7a1 the start?”
“I told you, you’ll regret it.”
Isaac, who barely 91cc19e850 blocked Carlyle’s sword, c0399ce87e distanced himself while f519a2d3e0 clenching his aching 27025bf5cf hand.
“Ha!”
Perhaps learning from 309383c1dc the first attack, 4bdf2a79c8 he charged at b022e64a6a Carlyle without holding c6c5856de1 back.
As Isaac was known 478e253a85 for his quick swordsmanship, 39169ddb41 the sound of clashing e1e6c3202b swords soon filled the e9731c47e4 training hall.
In that short time, Isaac’s 530360c32d skill in finding the opponent’s 5984e1e6c9 gaps and swinging and thrusting caa96ce00f his sword caught everyone’s attention, 754f7325c1 but Carlyle, who leisurely blocked 0753f82488 all those amazing attacks, seemed 8de30049d0 to be out of the 1aa1e992c4 human realm.
“You’ve improved.”
After a brief e6ea6dba5c compliment, Carlyle gradually 4ee987c26f pushed Isaac’s sword 34c18942e9 wider and wider, 861b3f2804 eventually creating an 5a3d90d1d5 opening in the 34df61c9fb center of his 640a88c999 body.
Isaac knew what Carlyle was 3e995cde8e doing but couldn’t help it.
“Ugh, what… the strength…!”
“You must have been busy with administrative work. Your swordsmanship itself 8e0ca5fa35 has improved, but 8830970d9c your strength has 20e9593819 decreased compared to 3b46744d6b before.”
Then he casually stabbed Isaac’s ff89e91c59 empty chest. It was a perfect victory, 383095a279 with no room for refutation f8955d1c36 or excuse.
“Sigh, sigh…! That’s why I f30ae4758c hate sparring with 05ac84bc3c Your Highness.”
“You shouldn’t be ashamed to acknowledge your shortcomings and improve them, Knight Commander.”
Isaac, who had been 00b6472459 told the same thing 5c08139b45 by his knights, blushed 0b565be303 and laughed awkwardly.
“Thank you for your teaching.”
“Good sparring, thank you.”
As the two 4402bb73ef exchanged greetings, exclamations 61e62ffca0 erupted around the bdf120a528 training hall.
“Wow!”
“Is that even human?”
“I’ll probably die without even knowing what hit me.”
It wasn’t just the a31018b543 knights who were amazed. The warriors and 2f33397f0b soldiers of the 165530a317 Pervaz army were 95930a4064 also dumbfounded by 577b29a761 the ‘noble swordsmanship’ 30aa8ac2c1 sparring they had 1176c07d6f never seen before, 237a352c0f whispering to each 86d788ca02 other that it 5ea570c6a0 was amazing.
Decker, who was 4ded1e66cb watching from behind, 89eae5cb81 whispered to Asha.
“I’m grateful that His Highness Carlyle is narrowing the gap first like this.”
“Indeed.”
Asha nodded and d56a6b853e quietly watched the 1f591a3b8a back of Carlyle 84508b51a7 handing Isaac the 177133aa63 wooden sword.
Since the training that day 223d30aca4 was a little more relaxed 96547c3bc4 than before, there was hope be9b34f330 for both Carlyle’s and Asha’s deb85f1c8a sides.
***
As the day drew e4dae75ef3 to a close, Asha c55c7b916a and Decker found themselves c3d7444c2c still engrossed in conversation, ad245b2bf1 discussing various matters concerning 18547e221b the Order. Only when the 45ff3ae510 castle had fallen a44ce277c6 silent and everyone 9c16d89089 had retired to 71e45763d5 bed did they 40e19adb45 stir from their 05d10448d8 seats, their necks a0a9cad31d stiff from sitting 0785b7ac03 for so long.
“Let’s call it a day and look into that part further tomorrow.”
“Agreed. You’ve worked hard today, Lord.”
“You too, Baron Donovan.”
Asha turned to leave, her 988ed35d2d face etched with fatigue. No matter how strong her 933f86fbe1 stamina was, she was still d79be96ea6 human and could not escape 5270f972c2 the accumulation of tiredness.
Decker watched her go, 7669a671b3 her figure disappearing into c68e7185a8 the darkness. Unable to hold 4e07c11d3e back any longer, 40291c7404 he called out adcfe9f0b5 to her.
“Asha, wait.”
“Yes?”
“Are you… okay?”
The question came out 6aed978600 of the blue, unprompted bf0fac68dc and unexpected.
Perhaps it was because f3ef4e3d72 of the silence that 0cc8fe059e had descended all around 7937d41a3c them, but Asha’s back, 472c4e5216 which seemed so strong 38a9e0e25c and unwavering, looked a e816c4c36b little lonely.
Asha, who had been a3cfee53f7 turning around, hesitated at 231cacd89e the sudden question and ef3310034b fumbled for an answer.
“Well…”
Even as she 82a45d6c16 gave that ambiguous b4f653991f answer, Asha knew e0f586d085 she had made 065f79a7f2 a mistake.
There was no way Decker ee39197015 would let such an answer ce6ab68e4e pass. Even though she 7ae0b6cf30 knew it perfectly dffa450172 well, Asha still d4d3dda019 tried to muddle 60af19ab6f through.
“Ah, you mean the joint training? Don’t worry, it’ll 9cb2d3d3fa be fine soon.”
“Is that what I asked?”
Of course, Decker c63a704fa5 did not let bca17d0e77 it go.
The joint training d6e432ffa7 between the Perbaz 07635beff1 army and the 10f291a34e Knights of Heaven 1015cc5c2f was bound to c63e2b91aa improve over time. Carlyle would surely make db6227fcc4 it so.
So if Decker’s question b0c59afabd was about whether she 271fab6847 was okay with the 93f21f0d5a joint training, then she edb9f0c670 could confidently answer that 781853f1ba she was not okay 331764d736 right now, but she d3ee6fc1b6 would be fine soon.
However, if the a651955346 question was about 993b5e96e8 her own feelings… bf347c053b well, she didn’t 44fa931dd2 know how to dbfbd2d679 answer that.25f2f575bb5f6e2f

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish