Never Mind the Heir, I’ll Focus on Healing — Chapter 100
Never Mind the Heir, I’ll Focus on Healing — Chapter 100
“Heave-ho.”
Fortunately, Lion didn’t end up in danger.
The knight order’s living quarters and training grounds were quite far from here.
“Now the barley just needs a good soak for a day.”
Of course, later he’d have to change the water a few times and let it sprout, but at least everything that could be done right now was finished.
‘I’m glad there’s just the right amount of shade.’
He could have left it indoors, but wouldn’t it be better to keep it here, close to the well?
Lion placed the basin carefully in the shade and took a brief rest.
‘But this side of the estate turned out to be pretty spacious, too.’
Having lived his whole life without really noticing, Lion now realized the Asteri family mansion was far larger than he’d imagined.
The fact that separate quarters existed for the knight order was proof enough.
‘The benefits are impressive.’
This wasn’t just anywhere—it was the knight order of the renowned magical house of Asteri.
Naturally, swordsmanship could have been looked down upon compared to magic.
‘But Grandfather doesn’t care about things like that.’
Petrick not only appointed people regardless of gender or rank so long as they had skill and loyalty—he granted them considerable privileges as well.
He hadn’t built a separate facility like the Magic Tower, but he’d set aside a significant part of the mansion for the order to use as quarters and training grounds.
And that wasn’t all.
On top of high wages and benefits, if a knight died in the line of duty protecting House Asteri, he ensured their surviving family would be taken care of for the rest of their lives.
So naturally, talented people flocked to them, and the knights’ morale was sky-high.
Some even said their combat strength surpassed the Imperial Knight Order.
‘Though it was hushed up to save the imperial family’s face.’
Those in the know were well aware of it.
There had to be a reason they had more applicants than the Imperial Knight Order.
Anyway.
“Reassuring.”
Lion nodded, looking toward the knight order’s training grounds.
Even if he himself was at relatively low risk of attack, that probably wasn’t the case for Rickshel.
He must have been receiving a lot of help, knowingly or not.
‘It’d be nice for Rickshel to have a solid bodyguard or two as well.’
Thinking he should visit the knight order when he had the time, Lion covered the basin with a cloth and took his leave.
“Surely no one would throw it away?”
Nah. He’d left it out so neatly—who’d just take it?
They’d assume there was a reason for it and leave it be.
And it was only soaking for a day, so it should be fine.
…Probably?
* * *
Not long after Lion left the soaking barley and went on his way—
Crack!
The sound of two solid wooden training swords clashing echoed through the training ground.
Two boys on the cusp of manhood, and the apprentice knights surrounding them, were cheering passionately in their own ways.
“Jake! Give ’im a good one!”
“Hey, rookie! Don’t you lose! You absolutely can’t lose!”
It was a rowdy affair, like mercenaries watching a brawl and placing bets—or as if it were a fight club in the Criminal Underworld.
A bit frivolous for the Asteri Knight Order, renowned for its supreme skill, but…
A closer look revealed something different.
They cheered freely, but they never crossed the line.
They enjoyed the spectacle, but their eyes were quicker than anyone’s at absorbing the martial techniques on display.
These were not the eyes of childish, naive youngsters.
And in the middle of it all,
the two had already exchanged blows countless times.
Thwack! Crack!
Rapidly switching between offense and defense, they tore across the training ground in a fierce melee.
There was a heavy whoosh of split air. A wooden training sword swung down hard from above.
Whoom!
The apprentice knight, Jake, was the one swinging it.
The sound of sundered air was something you’d expect from a troll or an ogre’s club.
“Kgh!”
His opponent barely managed to block the downward strike with his own blade.
Skrrrrt—
He was driven back, feet skidding until he was cornered against the training ground wall, but it was Jake who was surprised.
‘He blocked that?’
To be honest, he’d put a tremendous amount of power into that blow.
Not just kids their age—even most decent knights would’ve dropped to their knees from that attack.
That was how it had always gone.
But this guy right in front of him, this ‘rookie,’ didn’t go down.
‘They let in someone remarkable.’
But that was all.
His opponent was already on the back foot. There was nowhere to run.
Behind him were the other apprentice knights watching the spar.
If he dodged now, he’d be a disgrace as a knight.
Jake’s lips curled up in the dust-choked training ground.
What choice would he make?
A shameful counterattack?
Or humbly accept his defeat?
Either way, it would be bitter for this rookie.
But this defeat was the very first taste of what it meant to officially join the Asteri Knight Order.
Just as Jake anticipated victory and moved to swing again—
Poof!
Through the dust, the guy disappeared.
“…!”
Jake instinctively dropped his body low and twisted his head.
Whump!
A wooden training sword sank deep into the hard-packed dirt and stone floor of the training ground.
‘If I hadn’t dodged…’
No, there was no time to think.
Jake used his crouch like a spring, bursting upward and swinging at the empty air.
Wham!
“Ugh!”
The boy was flung out of the dust cloud and tumbled head over heels across the ground.
Struck square in the gut, the rookie hacked and coughed.
The match was decided.
But the rookie, seemingly unable to accept the outcome, clawed at the dirt and hauled himself up.
In an instant, sharp teeth bared, and piercing eyes flashed with a chilling intensity.
“…”
Feeling the killing intent, Jake’s body tensed on its own, and his hand moved toward his sheathed wooden blade.
The rookie snarled as if about to lunge again.
“That’s enough.”
“…”
“Jake is the victor.”
The one who spoke up was Rickson, the commander of the knight order, who had been watching their spar from the very back.
“Phew.”
Jake, who’d flinched for a moment, sheathed his blade and approached the boy with a grin.
“You’ve got some skills. Way above the standard for someone who’s only done grunt work at the order…”
Their eyes merely met by chance, but Jake couldn’t finish his sentence and yanked his wooden blade back out.
Crash!
An impact on a completely different level from before came at him.
His grip tore open and bled; the wooden blade cracked and bent as if about to shatter.
If the wooden blade hadn’t broken, his hand might not have just bled—it might have been ripped to shreds.
How on earth had he launched such an attack without even a wooden blade?
Eyes wide, Jake was about to adjust his grip on the cracked blade.
The guy lunged at him once more.
“Enough!”
Rickson’s voice, thick with authority, pushed the rookie back.
Rickson stood between them, shielding Jake, and spoke with a stern expression.
“Varg!”
Grrrrr—!
A low, beastly growl sounded.
Those farther away might not have heard it, but for Jake, the chilling sound was unmistakable.
“The match is over! What do you do when that happens?”
“…”
Stung by Rickson’s reprimand, Varg’s breath came in deep, heavy gasps.
After a few breaths, the fierce gleam in his eyes gradually subsided, and the tension in his clenched fists eased.
“Ah…”
Only then did he seem to come to his senses.
Varg lifted his bowed head and glanced around at Commander Rickson and Jake behind him.
Unlike his earlier aggression, his back was hunched and his shoulders slumped inward.
His entire posture had become utterly timid—completely different from before.
“E-excuse me…”
His hands fidgeted helplessly.
He seemed to want to ask if Jake was okay, but the Rickson standing in front of him was firm.
“I-I lost.”
“Correct. The victory in this spar goes to Jake.”
Jake chuckled and reached out his uninjured hand.
“It was a good match.”
“Y-yeah. Thanks. And, sorry…”
Varg took Jake’s hand in both of his and shook it gingerly, while stealing glances at the other hand.
“Your hand, is it…”
“This? It’s fine. People get hurt. No worries.”
Jake forced a smile and gave Varg’s shoulder a few pats.
Of course, inside, he felt differently.
‘That attack just now.’
Jake swallowed dryly, hiding his unease.
He was only an apprentice knight, but Jake was one of the candidates about to formally join the Asteri Knight Order.
And yet, if he’d been hit by that final attack…
He’d definitely have been seriously wounded.
Even if he’d been caught off guard, he hadn’t even seen the attack coming.
‘And those eyes.’
It had felt like the killing intent of a beast pooling all its focus just before it strikes.
‘A dangerous one, this guy.’
Jake kept his expression neutral despite the thought.
It was true he was dangerous, but now that he’d entered the order, he was his junior regardless.
Somehow, they’d have to get along.
‘That aside, though.’
He’d definitely have to ask the commander about this rookie, Varg.
“Commander. So I won the lunch bet, didn’t I?”
Jake pulled his hand back and asked with an easy grin.
“You did.”
Whoooaaa!
As soon as Rickson nodded, the briefly quiet training ground was filled with applause and cheers.
“Knew I should’ve bet on Jake!”
“Aww! This rookie looked like something special, though!”
“There’s no way a rookie’s beating Jake!”
“Blew the lunch bet again, dammit.”
Indeed.
This ferocious sparring had one purpose from the start.
The lunch bet.
In other words, a bet where only those who picked the winner would have a proper meal.
The rest?
They’d obviously go hungry.
This was the reality of the knight order that claimed to prioritize practical training.
It was something of a tradition within the order, practiced whenever a new recruit joined.
Training to feel defeat firsthand and sharpen the eye for observation.
And for those who lost the fight…
“Then make sure you get your own lunches and report back.”
They had to somehow scrounge up a lunch and return, by any means necessary.
Begging, foraging. Whatever it took.
“Sigh. I knew this’d happen, so I stashed away some emergency rations.”
“Hey, you too? Me too.”
Apprentices who’d been around long enough could manage to fend for themselves somehow, but…
“…So what about me?”
The rookie literally had to figure it out on his own.
“Good luck.”
Jake gave Varg’s shoulder a couple more pats and then sauntered off.
The other knights too. Even Commander Rickson was gone.
In truth, the rule had been set up to help new recruits learn the Asteri estate and show their faces around.
Since a rookie beating a veteran in a spar was almost impossible.
Of course, not knowing this, the timid rookie Varg just looked around with the expression of someone who’d lost the world.
No food?
How could this happen?!
‘How am I supposed to find something to eat here?’
There was nothing around but barren dirt.
Grrrowl.
And after all that rolling around, he didn’t think he could last without food.
He’d heard the afternoon training was even more grueling physical conditioning.
In that case…
‘I-I’ve gotta find something to eat!’
Varg clenched his fists and started walking aimlessly.
Fortunately, he’d had a short stint doing odd jobs for the knight order.
His extremely introverted personality meant he wasn’t close with the other staff, but he at least knew places where one could get food.
‘If that fails, I’ll just have to fill up on water…’
He’d already accounted for the worst-case scenario of drinking his fill.
The rookie apprentice knight, Varg, trudged off with his grimy, dejected figure.