Weapon Master of the Count’s Family

Chapter 4: The Young Count and the Beggar (4)

Before I returned to Lansed Academy, Duke Heriel Theron wanted to handle immediate matters.

“Don’t worry until you go to the Academy. I’ll assign one of my escort knights to you. If you’re uneasy, maybe two…….”

“It’s fine. One is enough. But what will happen to Glen Pillard, who tried to kill me?”

“He instigated the assassination of a noble, so he’ll be stripped of his title and exiled to an island.”

“If only the mastermind is exiled, won’t the others seek revenge on me?”

Not wanting loose ends, I subtly expressed concern.

The duke, sharing a similar temperament, spoke with a stern expression.

“No need to worry. I’ll personally ensure they pay for targeting my nephew. Every single one will be exiled under other charges.”

“I see.”

“I’d love to wipe out everyone who might target you, but they’re nobles, so I can’t act rashly. If only they were enemy nations or barbarians.”

His attitude was reassuring, yet unsettling.

‘A man with immense power and authority? I know exactly what happens if he’s an enemy.’

Still, unlike my past life, it was fortunate such a person was friendly to me.

For now.

“Don’t worry too much about that and focus on yourself. How about staying at my estate until you go to Lansed? This place…… it’s too grim, isn’t it?”

Objectively, it was.

Just yesterday, dozens died here.

Even with the townspeople’s help, bloodstains lingered in places.

“Just pack the essentials, and I’ll have servants bring the heavy stuff. Oh, and I’ll take that boy Jack too.”

“Thank you for your words. But I’ll stay here.”

“Why bother?”

“Because this is my home. As the young count, how could I abandon my family? I think at least I should protect the territory.”

Of course, I didn’t really mean it.

The townspeople were strangers, and they might be better off without me.

I said this to avoid going to the duke’s estate, where I knew nothing,

and to learn more about the count’s family.

‘There are nobles at Lansed Academy too. If one knows the Lafard Family better than me, it’d be trouble.’

I hid these reasons, merely posturing.

“Admirable. It’s a virtue those tasked with protecting a territory should uphold. Many don’t understand that these days, but you’ve grown well.”

“Thank you.”

“Good! Then I’ll stay here for today too. I have much to do, but I can spare a day.”

To the duke, I was a commendable boy, but still young, so he wanted to protect me.

In other words, he offered kindness I didn’t ask for.

‘Please, I said this much, just go.’

I was already worried about being exposed, and now he’d stay the night.

“It’ll be inconvenient.”

“What’s that? In the battlefield, I’ve slept in far worse places.”

“I suppose so.”

“By the way, have you had dinner?”

“Yes! I ate.”

That was close.

Among noble etiquette, dining manners were unfamiliar to me.

Eating together would likely reveal my awkwardness.

So, though I hadn’t eaten, I lied.

“Oh? Then I’ll eat alone. Alright, we’ll dine together next time.”

Fortunately, the conversation with the duke ended without suspicion.

“Then go rest. If anything’s inconvenient, tell my men.”

“Yes, thank you, Duke.”

After our talk, the duke strolled through the garden with his aide.

―Step, step.

The silent duke spoke first.

“Jismon, we’ll stay here tonight.”

“Yes, understood.”

“He’s grown strong. I wish my kids were like that.”

“Perhaps the environment shaped the young count that way. Didn’t he stay at Lansed for months?”

“Could be. That place is really…….”

The duke had held a sword enough to prevent calluses from healing.

Even he shuddered at Lansed.

“I wish Lansed’s ethos would change…… Is that man still the headmaster?”

“Yes, as far as I know, Duke Valendo is still the headmaster.”

Duke Valendo.

Hearing the name, the duke shook his head vigorously.

“Tch, I can’t even send a letter asking for favors.”

“Rather than that, pleasing the headmaster would be faster. The problem is, no one has ever done so.”

“Exactly. Who could win over that fastidious man? The so-called master of martial arts?”

Thinking of Lansed, the duke grew worried.

Could Evan endure the Academy led by Duke Valendo?

“If he doesn’t get expelled for lack of talent, that’d be fortunate.”

With average talent, handling one weapon was hard, let alone many, so he might be expelled soon.

Of course, that applied only to ordinary people.

***

“Jack, I heard I was briefly at some place called Lansed. Did you know?”

Back in my room, I brought it up while changing Jack’s bandages.

“The duke mentioned it first, huh? Yes, the young count was enrolled at Lansed with me.”

“You too? Why?”

“To do menial tasks. Like a squire.”

“Oh? Are cases like yours common there?”

Jack shook his head at my question.

“Cases like mine, entering to serve the young count from the start, are rare. There are attendants, but they usually quit their jobs to join.”

“Because anyone can become a royal guard knight regardless of status?”

“Royal guard knights sometimes don’t emerge in an entire class, so most aim to graduate. Graduating from Lansed grants you the status of a free knight, equivalent to a titled knight.”

“Free knight…….”

“It’s a huge opportunity for commoners like me, and even noble society values it. They say they send at least one child to Lansed.”

I thought the world worked similarly everywhere.

Just as I rose from gladiator to champion and gained status,

the kingdom provided a stage for self-made success through Lansed Academy.

“If most go for that, what about you? You didn’t go just to serve, right?”

“Of course not. Sure, the count paid well, but I wanted to endure there and become a knight. Until this happened.”

Due to the count’s family tragedy, Jack was now like a duck egg floating on a river.

I proposed he go back to Lansed with me.

“Oh? Then come with me to Lansed.”

“What? That tough place? It’d be great for me to become a knight, but do you have a reason to go? The count is gone now.”

“Because tough is better than dead. Who’s to say something like today won’t happen again?”

“That’s true…….”

“I heard it’s pretty safe, so we can pass the time there. About three years. Oh, how many years do you attend there?”

“Four years. But why three years? Is there a reason?”

Three years.

Jack didn’t know that was when the time barrier protecting the vault would lift.

“Well…… in this body, I can barely protect myself.”

“Oh…….”

This assassination was thwarted because I prepared and had the duke’s help.

But there was no guarantee the next would go as smoothly.

So, I thought I needed to escape immediate threats and grow stronger.

Only then could I protect the treasures sleeping in the vault.

“In three years, I’ll grow strong enough that no one can touch me easily. At least enough to protect the count’s family. The duke said he’d help with rebuilding too. And…… never mind.”

I didn’t mention the vault.

Not until Jack showed curiosity first.

“Huh? What? Is it related to the vault you went to with the duke?”

Sure enough, Jack was interested.

“To some extent.”

“Then wouldn’t it be better to stay and guard it? What if someone steals it?”

“It’s fine because of the time barrier. It’s an impenetrable shield no one can break. For at least three years.”

“Oh! So that’s why you said three years?”

Jack finally seemed to understand.

“If that’s the case, it makes sense. Since the treasure can’t be taken, you’ll build strength in the meantime to face the thieves, right?”

“Exactly. Lansed is perfect for that. So, tell me. What’s it like, and what’s my situation there?”

To play Evan Lafard at Lansed, I needed Jack’s advice.

Jack began recounting what he’d seen.

“First, the previous young count couldn’t adapt there. The count sent him to toughen him up, but he had no talent for physical activities.”

“And?”

“If you can’t keep up physically in a place that demands it, what happens? He was treated as a failure. He’d been there less than three months and got that treatment. And that was just during physical training.”

“Was stamina the only issue?”

“No. Unlike the count, his swordsmanship was terrible too. Maybe he hated the Academy because of this. Everyone expects something from the count’s son, so showing that side would be embarrassing, right?”

“Did he ever show that to anyone?”

“Just once. He displayed his swordsmanship at the entrance ceremony. Everyone mocked him. After that, thankfully, it was just physical training.”

“Oh? Well, one time can be excused. He didn’t want to attend the Academy.”

“What excuse?”

“Nothing.”

Weak stamina and unable to handle weapons properly.

That wasn’t an issue.

I wasn’t the old Evan Lafard anymore.

“Hm…… what about his relationships?”

“Not great either. I don’t know if you talked much with the young count, but he was prickly. Selfish too. Completely different from the count.”

The conversation started to feel like gossip about the young count.

That’s how much the old Evan Lafard seemed like a jerk to those around him.

“He hated physical activity and was scheming, so who’d like him? He didn’t fit in at Lansed.”

“That’s good. No close friends, then?”

“Yeah. He only talked to me, and even that was mostly one-sided orders. I never saw him get close to anyone.”

Summing up Jack’s words:

“So, Evan Lafard had terrible relationships and rock-bottom achievements at the Academy, a problem child? He didn’t cause trouble, did he?”

“He didn’t have the guts for that.”

“You’ve got a lot of resentment.”

“Of course. Even the servants probably didn’t like him. Maybe that’s why he used us as sacrifices.”

Thinking of his dead friends and colleagues, Jack grew somber again.

I patted his shoulder to comfort him.

“The living have to live. That’s how we mourn the dead. Anyway, the young count who tormented you is gone.”

“Sigh…… But you’re really going there?”

“Is there something I don’t know?”

“Well…… it’s really tough. Thinking about going back already makes me sigh.”

Hearing it was tough repeatedly piqued my curiosity.

It’s just an Academy—how tough could it be?

“What’s Lansed like? Do they whip you while making you climb cliffs?”

Jack’s eyes widened at my words.

“What? It’s not that bad.”

“Then do they tie your hands and feet and throw you into an icy waterfall?”

“Why would they do something crazy like that? That’s straight-up murder.”

Jack thought I was talking nonsense.

But these were all parts of the training I’d endured in my past life.

‘What? Then it’s no big deal?’

***

Some time passed,

and Young Count Evan Lafard and his attendant Jack Reed boarded a ship to Lansed Academy.

Having left briefly due to the count’s passing, he was returning to Lansed Academy.

Defying everyone’s expectations that he’d flee, Evan Lafard appeared much changed.

As if he were a different person.