TAOA-70

Chapter: TAOA-701cf6e5eb1a053237

“Good weather, gentlemen.”
Recently, the training a536521af5 ground, which had 29e362d0d7 been muddy with 9fc0c54c90 melted snow, was 8127fe03b2 relatively dry because ae91e82ed4 the sun had d4760635ab been shining every 983e8e36e0 day.
Carlyle, who wanted to ab279db85f start by talking about 6b308fc21c the weather to lighten 0d4b5931ad the mood, felt skeptical 6eeb0f0176 about doing so himself f4b6c2c82e and quickly got to 330b9d64a5 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 atmosphere 7e7a5aa8bf was detected from both 8b26cfb6c0 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 eee56e3c27 sharp sarcasm in d2aa417c32 his words and 962088bcc7 lowered their gazes. However, it was f107debfc5 clear that they 7b8ac09140 were dissatisfied 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 c6213e1595 the Ingram tribe surprise 02ad3eecc5 attack incident last year, f006a1da15 have you?”
When he brought 0586f1decc up the Ingram 7ba307d952 tribe surprise attack 839b2d34c4 incident, the dissatisfaction 13f85242bc in the eyes 9b984ae4fc of the Haven 7e8aac1231 Knights deepened.
This was because they felt 412e09923e that the Pervaz army was f9987efb3e weak and that they had 8d82ee6bd7 done ‘free service’.
Carlyle, who knew exactly 1601795ad9 what they were thinking, 706285e72a shook 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 army e7da13233e had been defeated, there is 91abb73efc no way that our knights ff4ae05be9 would have suffered less damages.”
Carlyle slammed the 56e8e431b5 sword he was 2e726d509b holding on the e48c089a5e ground and said.
“In the end, we are in a symbiotic relationship. We need a fbd4dd282a single unified system.”
As expected, both 0eb6f2ab12 sides began to c45f11b06c glare at each 1a4018ac3e other.
This was because the 047bf6a098 Haven Knights believed that 5f6ea57ddd the ‘single unified system’ 99ceff7852 would be their way, 682e180617 and the Pervaz army 8f6c74102f was determined not to a2298d12e0 follow that way.
Carlyle and Asha sighed deeply.
They had expected 1ed378fbcd it to be 95672e1e61 difficult, but the c959cfdcb8 animosity between the e0ae8a4c20 two sides seemed 394941a0ea to be worse 81debc8fa6 than they thought. Just thinking about what they 86c0a093ec had to say next made 1a3d414b4b 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 d1fc07a63c atmosphere on both sides 0a6b96be3a changed completely. Even some of the higher-ranking 91726359e5 knights of the Haven Knights 991966d977 openly showed their displeasure and ceb7fcf970 protested.
“How can the Pervaz method be the basis? They are not 0d242a7c6b knights in the 583f8bb20b first place, and 1734af0952 they are not 93a6121ae4 a proper army!”
“Shouldn’t it be based on a more advanced method?”
They had a point.
At first, Asha had expected 22c4ce0700 this kind of backlash and 69419ef006 had suggested that the Haven f3686eb9b8 Knights’ method be used as 8edbae65ef the basis. However, Carlyle and 7a7ede6d41 Isaac had different 9d995ba74b 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 you 2b787f4189 fight.”
“That’s only if the enemy is within your common sense.”
Carlyle recalled the stories he a01756d3e5 had heard from Asha and 7ff3962f32 the Pervaz warriors and shook f7f197194f his head firmly.
The barbarians and efa3415957 monsters of the c4aeb42ab8 Abandoned Land were bae1fdd911 completely different from 86ccad5fef those found in 32e958e5b0 the southern part 9c5b339e07 of the empire.
“Barbarians are disorganized. That means they fight individually. If we follow 7bea796e29 our complex command e3e6fbbd31 system against them, 6af1d006b8 we’ll surely be 82844c8a74 caught off guard 85c78c18a7 by their speed.”
That was what I 64d537f2ce felt when I watched 10620bf24c the battle between the 05c485efd9 Iggram tribe and the 7e4ec1cf80 Pervaz army when they f91f03e21c invaded.
Both sides fought 7cb4c11a0a at a tremendous 2ca1ef51b0 speed.
Before the battle, they would e5540637f4 decide on their movements based f415853c61 on the predicted battle pattern, 2cc654badd and during the battle, they 40ad2d4594 would use short codes to 26a27f5783 communicate the direction of movement 8080408f54 or the battle method.
And within that, f3a4013e21 they respected the 34b0537a36 autonomy of each 0da5c9313a individual soldier. They were each 3b3f07afcb and every one 2b64c1b133 of them a d16996b420 commander who commanded 37388a3f22 themselves.
Perhaps that was how they b3d8ca03e7 cultivated the pride and loyalty 9537319b54 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 d7ba62f50a pride will be nothing 4508f8a9a3 but a laughingstock.”
At Carlyle’s sharp pointing out, ad51c36cbd the voices of discontent that 7ff0c0874c had been erupting from the 3ef2955c14 Knights gradually subsided.
However, the discontent itself had 41db51817b not disappeared.
That was because 20741214b8 the atmosphere of 54b51f315d the joint training 227c8a1a7c that began that 4d162b57ad day was a a4ec4d89da complete mess.
“If I had been the supreme commander, the problem would have been much more serious, Your Highness.”
Asha looked down 5bc01de7d0 at the knights 224157eed1 and soldiers who 648f6c2eb3 were reluctantly continuing ffec83ef1c the training and 19ffa6e387 said to Carlyle.
Carlyle, who had e7ee529400 once suggested that bc22e86190 it would be 1a5a063d45 better for her 57f9956d42 to be the 43f9c32431 supreme commander, tasted 4d996dd1eb a bitter 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 Knights e1f4741520 had been told that fb236adb6e their supreme commander was c539663664 not the prince but 27e0aaa731 Count Pervaz, there might a25275f7f6 have been a lot e6906849b5 of refusals to train.
In any case, b858ad43d0 the training continued. However, the morale 96901c7057 of the soldiers 196797860f did not rise 6f262c7d09 at all.
And then, Carlyle took control ae97231331 of everyone, as if to c5ac5fdcba prove once again that he a9831ef172 was born with the blessing 009c91dfc3 of the gods.
“Sir Solon! The atmosphere is getting 1c16b4f746 gloomy, so why don’t 5955c6a011 you take off your e9ae2615ae rank insignia and spar 950ec09d2a 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 da1d3b9727 that way.”
Isaac said with a crying 3e37ef48a3 voice, but he still took 5b16cf72e8 out his training wooden sword, 73a0ddf30f and a strange tension hung 0eeaca21c2 in the air in the 7011a232e8 middle of the empty training 3abc08750d 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 0b737f0081 immediately rushed at Isaac.
Clang!
The wooden swords made of 1d90c79a50 solid wood clashed so hard fcdc83663d that they buzzed.
“Ugh! How can you do a211c25003 this from the start?”
“I told you, you’ll regret it.”
Isaac, who barely blocked fc9a35f1d9 Carlyle’s sword, distanced himself 5e671ba56c while clenching his aching e51bed35fd hand.
“Ha!”
Perhaps learning from the 7cda66ea3d first attack, he charged 87a67f0fec at Carlyle without holding c3fa332f2b back.
As Isaac was known for 675b86dbf3 his quick swordsmanship, the sound 6967627280 of clashing swords soon filled b4c7988465 the training hall.
In that short 7b51cb39fd time, Isaac’s skill 2e04b6f641 in finding the 952556e766 opponent’s gaps and 03bcb9e75e swinging and thrusting 7aa7622b95 his sword caught 3568009520 everyone’s attention, but 6ce54cb23c Carlyle, who leisurely 3aa39dbffa blocked all those 141abd45b7 amazing attacks, seemed cd52f1c5ab to be out 839a98f2b5 of the human fbbf8a5ecb realm.
“You’ve improved.”
After a brief 89ea7cc0f4 compliment, Carlyle gradually f4e59559eb pushed Isaac’s sword 22fa87cee4 wider and wider, 4371c92fc9 eventually creating an 9e5bb613da opening in the c49ccea723 center of his 56755e57a4 body.
Isaac knew what ea13d780c1 Carlyle was doing 2112cabb54 but couldn’t help 2675fb85e8 it.
“Ugh, what… the strength…!”
“You must have been busy with administrative work. Your swordsmanship itself has 09ce5c9e9e improved, but your strength ae19b08371 has decreased compared to 8dca33af2b before.”
Then he casually stabbed Isaac’s c7cd99e824 empty chest. It was a perfect victory, 6eb8615359 with no room for refutation 57644e8c89 or excuse.
“Sigh, sigh…! That’s why I 2c32ee15f8 hate sparring with 070b39c614 Your Highness.”
“You shouldn’t be ashamed to acknowledge your shortcomings and improve them, Knight Commander.”
Isaac, who had been told 6b8a2f3f7a the same thing by his f729fe7439 knights, blushed and laughed awkwardly.
“Thank you for your teaching.”
“Good sparring, thank you.”
As the two 14309f5921 exchanged greetings, exclamations 559b625389 erupted around the 219378a116 training hall.
“Wow!”
“Is that even human?”
“I’ll probably die without even knowing what hit me.”
It wasn’t just cb6b5088a6 the knights who d32c759240 were amazed. The warriors and 80299be7c3 soldiers of the 81868d82e2 Pervaz army were 487440dde3 also dumbfounded by ea22be805c the ‘noble swordsmanship’ 78f4bce21c sparring they had c35c5f0ba9 never seen before, b34a18cdfc whispering to each ab671bab0d other that it 3bdc8e6b3b was amazing.
Decker, who was 212e4f0033 watching from behind, b6a9d0bd3a whispered to Asha.
“I’m grateful that His Highness Carlyle is narrowing the gap first like this.”
“Indeed.”
Asha nodded and quietly watched 6fcadd8b9f the back of Carlyle handing ea92b4f58a Isaac the wooden sword.
Since the training that day 691197c9bb was a little more relaxed 16608311d8 than before, there was hope 393ed2b56f for both Carlyle’s and Asha’s 6a2d0dd758 sides.
***
As the day aefbd487e0 drew to a fe219492a8 close, Asha and 2c0b7736f4 Decker found themselves 90e5e7df34 still engrossed in 59e3f50839 conversation, discussing various 845b32605c matters concerning the d806d36497 Order. Only when the f4e7b67f0e castle had fallen 753cd2478c silent and everyone 2b4ae2701e had retired to 3cc5ea5114 bed did they 0ae0da1ff1 stir from their d2e9d80277 seats, their necks 4da7d75961 stiff from sitting db64c99acd 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, ba6166a9b8 her face etched with 84190d003b fatigue. No matter how strong e07459e214 her stamina was, she 9acc038964 was still human and 5683b251b4 could not escape the 5bdef9f7d6 accumulation of tiredness.
Decker watched her go, her 856ec55014 figure disappearing into the darkness. Unable to hold back any 5e11bc6f93 longer, he called out to 581f095d76 her.
“Asha, wait.”
“Yes?”
“Are you… okay?”
The question came out of ef0e589cf1 the blue, unprompted and unexpected.
Perhaps it was because 237b27499c of the silence that d758fc04ff had descended all around 2948db37a9 them, but Asha’s back, 67f57fdb25 which seemed so strong 61ee1cac20 and unwavering, looked a 3650894d7b little lonely.
Asha, who had been turning 2117c81c68 around, hesitated at the sudden 977e9e349f question and fumbled for an cc930a03b0 answer.
“Well…”
Even as she gave that 6dc467b589 ambiguous answer, Asha knew she aca204ebb6 had made a mistake.
There was no 732db23652 way Decker would 656050e736 let such an 405325bcd7 answer pass. Even though she knew 2039934e8b it perfectly well, Asha 136d60e18e still tried to muddle 469064ac82 through.
“Ah, you mean the joint training? Don’t worry, it’ll be fine 788c698f23 soon.”
“Is that what I asked?”
Of course, Decker d198f29eb2 did not let 4d5ebc58ca it go.
The joint training 49e2926119 between the Perbaz 44dc4a6a9c army and the c72ec62e24 Knights of Heaven 629f7febf1 was bound to f8b932165a improve over time. Carlyle would surely make aaaa8201d3 it so.
So if Decker’s e22a57f1ba question was about 3de9b1452c whether she was c830a1d015 okay with the f8d4ad3c18 joint training, then bab185213c she could confidently a1c07dfaf0 answer that she adacb04c5a was not okay 6051df1028 right now, but 36f99386e1 she would be 91f9447aa2 fine soon.
However, if the d88cd1fe4a question was about fae8f0eed1 her own feelings… 7a1470a528 well, she didn’t 48b60a9f11 know how to 8d24ec2dc8 answer that.9d4f485d05fa6fd0

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