Chapter 4 The vindictive knight

The following morning.

Marcus arrived at the castle early, but instead of entering, he waited outside. Gazing at the lowly and dilapidated structure, his heart was chilled, perhaps reflecting on how his own future might resemble this rundown fortress.

The castle was situated on a hill in the southwestern corner of the small town.

There were no towering walls, no lofty arrow towers, no crenellations for defenders to stand upon, no broad moat, nor a massive gatehouse.

It was simply a larger, two-story manor house.

The stonewalls, though sturdy, had begun to show faint cracks. Gradually, several roof tiles had loosened, raising concerns about leaks during rainy days.

Rumor had it that this humble castle had a history of over a century. Before Coral Island became the territory of the Earl, it had been home to nobles, but later fell into disrepair. Upon being granted the title of Earl of Coral Island, its owner renovated the small castle, intending to use it as a retreat for his visits to Flower Town. However, he never actually resided there.

Now, it was Baron Liszt who took up residence in the small castle.

He, once a Terra Knight of the Coral Island Knights, had dreams of earning accolades through battlefield valor, but fate had made him a frequent visitor to this modest abode.

Together with Baron Liszt, he stood guard over Flower Town, a place without even a single pebble road.

"Good morning, Mr. Marcus," greeted Tom, the servant boy carrying empty water buckets, as he prepared to fetch water from the town well.

Marcus replied coolly, "Good morning."

He couldn't recall Tom's first name, but he remembered his surname, which was something like "Pigsty," a very typical commoner name. Even he didn't possess an elegant noble surname; his own was "Wheel," since his grandfather had been a coachman, forever turning the wheels of his carriage.

That was how it was for commoners – they took surnames based on whatever was available.

He envied the noble surnames, especially that of an Earl, Tulip – how dignified! How much effort would it take for him to acquire a similar surname? No high-born surname was fit for a commoner – flowers, gems, metals... Nobles would never tolerate their symbols being degraded by the lower class!

Moments later, four tall men clad in leather armor appeared behind Marcus.

"Teacher Marcus," they greeted in unison.

"Carl, Rohm, Gray, and Odin, you're here," Marcus responded, addressing the four, who were Liszt's squire knights.

Squire knights were not actual knights but rather attendants, a form of servants tasked with caring for knights on the battlefield. They carried lances, tended horses, laundered clothes, and cooked meals.

In essence, Marcus was also a type of squire knight, albeit a freeman, while squire knights were indentured servants.

Moments later, Liszt, still somewhat groggy, emerged from the drafty castle gates. In the morning light, he donned a simple training outfit, a pristine white that complemented his enviable face and tall, distinguished figure, making for an impeccable appearance.

"Good morning, Sir Marcus, Carl Hammer, Rohm Barrel, Gray Scythe, Odin Sole, and gentlemen and ladies."

Gentlemen referred to male servants, while ladies referred to female servants, regardless of their marital status. This was the customary way for nobles to address their staff.

Just as a male butler would be addressed as sir, regardless of his marital state, and a female housekeeper as ma'am, regardless of hers. Liszt had grown accustomed to these rigid noble customs for sixteen years; it was instinctive for him to greet them thus.

"Sir Baron, let us commence our knightly training."

"Very well."

On a hillock in front of the castle, Liszt began his knightly practice. His four squire knights, not yet skilled in Aura, merely exercised their bodies nearby.

Aura was a skill passed down through bloodlines, rarely mastered by commoners.

In fact, Liszt believed it more closely related to nutrition. How could a peasant, struggling to fill their belly, refine their bodily strength into Aura?

Among the nobility, with a bit of diligence,

There existed no one who couldn't cultivate Aura. This was the reason why the nobles maintained their rule. With wealth, they could eat well, cultivate Aura, wield power, exploit commoners, and accumulate more wealth, allowing them to eat better, cultivate stronger Aura, wield greater power, and further exploit the commoners.

The morning's milk and bread nourished Liszt continuously.

Under Marcus's tutelage, he practiced the 'Basic Aura' tirelessly. Since the age of six, he had been cultivating this secret manual. Unfortunately, his progress was minimal. Although Aura made him stronger than ordinary people, as an Apprentice Knight, he was significantly weaker compared to a Terra Knight. Marcus could defeat him with just one hand.

"Spiritual aura, an unprecedented sensation, cultivation... I wonder what rewards the elevation of my Aura will bring after completing the mission. Could it allow me to become a Terra Knight?"

Feeling the Aura within his body, Liszt practiced diligently.

Only after an entire hour did he finish his morning practice.

"Teacher Marcus, have some water and rest for ten minutes before we set off." Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Liszt found the morning session quite exhausting.

The old butler, Carter, had already brought servants to serve nutrient-rich milk tea.

Each of the four Squire Knights received a cup of milk tea mixed with minced meat, milk, and eggs. They savored the drink happily, momentarily forgetting their hour-long exertion.

Marcus and Liszt, on the other hand, were served an additional dessert: cheese biscuits.

By the time they finished their meal and changed into appropriate attire, Thomas, the valet, had already brought Liszt's steed, a mature bay horse with barely any white markings. It was a gift from Count Coral Island when Liszt turned twelve, a foal back then but now a magnificent creature.

Snort.

The bay horse snorted, nuzzling affectionately against Liszt's arm.

"Firedrake, my old friend, you must have been restless in the castle," consoled Liszt as he mounted his horse gracefully.

Behind him, Marcus and four escort knights mounted their own horses. Marcus rode a dapple gray, equally impressive, which was his personal steed. The escort knights' mounts were ordinary chestnut horses, belonging to Liszt's estate but allocated for their care and use.

"Squire Carter, I pray for your safe journey," Carter wished sincerely.

"May your kind words bring me fortune," Liszt flicked his whip elegantly, and the Fire Dragon Horse let out a mighty neigh before galloping forward. "Let's ride!"

At the forefront of the group, Liszt was clad in a magical beast hide armor, a attire that only the nobility could afford. It was lightweight, breathable, and offered better protection than conventional armor.

His black armor was adorned with a single-handed sword slung diagonally across his waist, along with a black helmet made from magical beast hide, topped with the plume of a male pheasant, giving him an especially valiant appearance.

The squire knights accompanying him carried not only their own weapons, a one-handed sword and shield, but also a large lance for Liszt, additional long swords, maces, flails, and provisions for lunch and water.

Marcus, apart from his beloved pistols, also wielded a bow and arrow, proving himself to be an exceptional archer. This skill highlighted his worth more than his identity as a Earth Knight. It was this very talent that fueled his ambition, enabling him to stand out among the numerous Earth Knights of the Coral Island Knights, aspiring to become a Lord Knight.

Trot-trot-trot-trot!

The sound of hooves echoed crisply against the solid earth as they soon arrived at the small town. Liszt planned to inspect his territory, and the town was his top priority.