The Abandoned Duchess Seems to Want a Peaceful Life - Chapter 124

Chapter 124: The End of the Martial Arts Tournament

The knights’ swordsmanship was a display of form.

They had removed their armor and changed to a style where vital points were wrapped in leather armor over their knight’s clothing. Holding a longsword in their dominant hand and securing a metal shield bearing the Oldrand family crest in the opposite hand, the weight was not much different from when they were clad in armor.

“I heard that shields are usually held by squires, but knights equip them in swordsmanship.”

“Knights seldom carry shields in ceremonial settings, but a leather gauntlet won’t stop the fangs of large beasts or monsters, so a shield is essential in real combat. For that reason, it’s more common to equip a shield when demonstrating swordsmanship like this.”

“In that regard, Your Excellency charges in only with a greatsword, which makes us nervous every time.”

“August.”

Called by name in a low tone, the bodyguard knight smirked and shrugged. Though he was standing behind, so his master shouldn’t have been able to see him, Alexis snorted as if he could see right through him.

Unable to help but smile at the master-servant interaction, both of them turned their gaze toward her.

“I remember someone saying once that the duke has eyes on the back of his head.”

“Oh, that’s certainly true. Whenever I stand behind Your Excellency, I feel tense.”

“Heh, even without eyes on your back, having August behind you must be reassuring. Just having Marie and Cedric nearby makes me feel incredibly at ease.”

“…You’re too kind-hearted.”

It seems there’s a common form in all aspects of their footwork, as the three knights assumed the same stances, thrusting, sweeping, and executing cleaving movements in unison. Even though their movements appeared identical, it was clear that Cedric’s sword struck with sharper intensity, and watching closely, one could feel as if they themselves would be cut down by the sword he wielded, creating an overwhelming pressure.

“It’s amazing how, even compared to the other two, he isn’t faster or moving differently.”

Even from the perspective of Melfina, who had grown up entirely unacquainted with rough combat, the difference in skill was evident. She understood well the meaning of Alexis’s words that Cedric’s sword was imbued with divine presence.

The once-loud audience fell completely silent, holding their breath as they focused intently on the knights’ swordplay.

Their movements conveyed even the weight of the shields, which must have had considerable heft. Sometimes light, sometimes sharp, and yet evoking a sense of majesty.

When the three stopped their movements simultaneously and bowed, a cheer erupted. Melfina also let out the breath she had been holding deep inside.

She grasped well that their polished technique was worthy of admiration.

After the knights stepped back for a brief rest, soldiers made their appearance next. Twenty soldiers dispatched from the Oldrand family and seven recruits trained from the Enkar region, dressed in leather armor, lined up and bowed toward the distinguished guests, just like the knights.

The soldiers ranged in age from fifteen to those in their thirties, showcasing a wide age spectrum, with varying body builds and heights. Since they were lined up mainly with those who had longer service records, generally, the younger and less physically developed individuals were at the ends of the line.

After witnessing the knights’ skill, Melfina wondered if the soldiers’ drills might seem lacking. However, it seemed that the drills involving larger groups, where the disparity would be more pronounced than between the highly skilled knights, were more engaging for cheering and encouragement, and the excitement in the venue did not diminish.

Especially when the soldiers from the Enkar region drew their bows, the voices of family and friends calling their names echoed loudly in support. After the archery demonstration concluded, they transitioned to showcasing spear techniques, which also received mostly favorable reactions.

“It seems that after the martial arts tournament, there may be an increase in those wishing to enlist as soldier apprentices.”

“Especially boys, as they tend to idolize knights; I think there will be more children aspiring to become knights from the Enkar region in the future.”

While whispering quietly with Marie, Melfina observed the earnest profiles of the soldiers wielding their spears.

“Is that young soldier a trainee from the Enkar region?”

Called by Alexis, who was sitting beside her, she turned her gaze in that direction.

She referred to a particularly young soldier among them, whose physique had yet to fully develop.

“That’s Lloyd. He’s the grandson of the village chief from Enkar Village.”

He is the youngest of the soldier apprentices, resembling his grandfather Lutz quite a bit, with a gentle demeanor. He occasionally visits the lord’s residence, bringing fish caught from the river or lake as gifts.

Often, he shows up embarrassed, unable to refuse additional food contributions from other soldiers and villagers, and it sometimes makes her worry that he might be more suited to a civil servant role than a soldier.

“He’s probably got some kind of talent, doesn’t he?”

“Yeah, he seems quite promising. He’s still young but hasn’t been overwhelmed by the spear. He doesn’t seem too accustomed to handling the bow yet, but his focus when drawing back towards the target was impressive.”

August muttered, and Alexis nodded in agreement.

“Do you know how old he is?”

“The youngest apprentice is fifteen, so he should be turning sixteen this year.”

“In that case, we should have him receive blessings sooner rather than later. It often happens that ‘talents’ fade away around that age, depending on the person.”

“Once we return to Soarasonne, we should hurry to send for a priest.”

If Alexis and August were saying that, then he must possess quite a considerable “talent.”

While they had gone to the knights’ barracks many times to offer support and had opportunities to observe the soldiers’ training, Melfina had never thought Lloyd stood out in any remarkable way.

Since he was Lutz’s grandson, he had a solid background. Melfina had even considered that if training as a soldier proved too harsh for him, perhaps he could eventually become a civil servant apprentice at the lord’s residence.

“…I didn’t notice it myself.”

As she contemplated whether she had almost crushed a promising talent, August cheerfully stated, shaking off her concerns.

“This should actually be something Roland and Sigmund notice and bring to your attention, Lady Melfina.”

“The training for the soldier apprentices was largely left to the soldiers themselves. However, it is the role of the knights to lead the soldiers.”

Feeling a chill from that voice, Melfina hurriedly turned her face toward Alexis.

“Both Roland and Sigmund have been busy with the protection of Prince Serleine and patrolling the Enkar region. Their participation in the apprentices’ training was sudden, so please don’t blame them.”

Alexis was known to have a particularly harsh side as a politician, which she had heard about from time to time.

From Melfina’s perspective, the two knights were sincerely dedicated to protecting the Enkar region. It must be quite difficult to oversee almost thirty individuals thoroughly while being so busy.

“Today is a martial arts competition to appreciate their service in the Enkar region. Please commend their daily efforts.”

“…I’ll just inform them to be more careful in the future.”

Feeling relieved by those words, she noticed August’s gaze on her. When their eyes met, he smiled cheerfully for some reason.

“August.”

Called by that chilly voice, August shrugged and displayed a slightly bitter smile different from earlier.

“…The Duke truly has eyes in the back of his head.”

“It certainly seems that way.”

With her light laughter, the tense atmosphere eased for a moment, somehow shifting into a pleasant mood.

***

The mock battles among the soldiers ended, and the air began to feel like the martial arts competition was coming to a close.

Alexis and the three knights selected the particularly outstanding soldiers among them, and the one chosen as the best was a soldier in his mid-twenties sent from the Oldrand family.

He stood tall, and his well-trained physique stood out even among the other soldiers. He was strong, and during the mock battles using practice swords, there were instances where lighter soldiers were blown away as soon as they clashed swords.

“Rough around the edges, but he has strength and is a good soldier. If we promote him to a squire while he’s here, the morale of those around him will likely rise.”

“Since Roland currently doesn’t have a squire, it would be good to assign him to this soldier. With his physical strength, I think he would also be capable as a shield bearer.”

With the outstanding soldier decided, Alexis personally offered words of encouragement. The other soldiers also had expressions of deep emotion, clearly demonstrating how much Alexis was respected by the soldiers in the North.

“I have prepared a reward as well. Each knight will receive two barrels of ale from the lord’s estate, and the outstanding soldier will receive a barrel of ale along with this gift.”

Large wooden trays, covered with cloth and carried in by Rad and Cliff, were brought forth. When Marie lifted the cloth, a yellowish cylindrical cheese appeared. It was about thirty centimeters in diameter and weighed around five kilograms—a generous amount.

“This is cheese made for the first time in the Enkar region. While the aging is a bit shallow, this is the right stage for it to be flavorful without any strong aftertaste. It pairs well with both bread and ale, so please enjoy.”

The soldiers cheered, and they energetically patted the back of the outstanding soldier. Smiling at the scene, Melfina spoke.

“Thank you all for your hard work today. I’ll send enough ale to the barracks later so that you can drink and enjoy yourselves tonight as much as you want.”

“Lady Melfina!”

“Thank you very much, my lord!”

All the soldiers wore bright smiles.

It seemed that Melfina’s effort to show appreciation for them, who had protected Serleine and the Enkar region throughout the winter, was successful. Feeling delighted, Melfina kept smiling.

However, after the commotion had settled down, it was another matter when Alexis asked her to tell him more about that cheese.