Chapter 50

After concluding our negotiations with Byron, we ventured out into the town.

The main street was bustling with energy due to the arrival of a caravan from the south, and there were many shopkeepers calling out to attract customers.

Men and women dressed like mercenaries were patrolling the streets, giving off a distinctly fantasy vibe, and I was looking around curiously as I walked.

"Seeing those people, I can hardly believe that we just had a showdown with a mercenary," Lidi said to Guy, sounding exasperated.

"But I felt relieved just now. As expected of Sir Zack. That Byron, with his sword skills, was a formidable opponent, even a match for Lord Nicholas."

Guy spoke to me with a pleased expression, so I asked,

"By the way, when did you realize I was putting on an act?"

Guy thought for a moment and said, "Perhaps when you made remarks that seemed to doubt Byron's abilities."

I nodded, thinking that was the moment, but I didn't understand why he realized it.

"How did you figure it out?"

"Sir Zack usually recognizes the abilities of anyone, regardless of their status. Even when people like Rob the hunter tried to test you, you never got angry. But this time, you didn't even try to persuade him and instead acted aggressively. That's when I felt something was off. I thought there must be some intention behind it."

I was impressed by Guy's observational skills.

(He really pays attention. It's a bit embarrassing, but maybe the old man liked this about him and made him a squire.)

I felt a bit embarrassed by the praise.

"True, but I do dislike people I don't like. It just happened that there was no one I disliked in Rasmor Village."

Guy shook his head.

"But didn't you recognize his abilities the moment you met him? I was angry at the time, but you were calm. That's when I thought you must have a plan."

I waved my hand and laughed, "You're flattering me. It wasn't from the start."

"Really, you're so interesting. I just thought, 'Oh, this is hopeless' at the time."

Lidi said this, and the usually quiet Sharon nodded, "I didn't understand until the end."

I felt a bit embarrassed and decided to change the topic.

"By the way, Norton and Byron called the old man 'Lionheart.' What does that mean?"

Guy answered happily.

"The name Lionheart is a title given to the previous lord by Lord Razwell, the Margrave of the northern province. When the previous lord was in the northern provincial army..."

According to Guy, my grandfather saved the life of the Margrave's heir, the current Margrave, while serving under the Margrave of the northern province of Kaelm Empire. Impressed by this feat, the previous Margrave, playing on the name "Rockheart," bestowed the title "Lionheart" and the family crest of a lion.

When I asked for more details, Guy explained happily. The gist of the story is as follows:

My grandfather, leading a squad in the northern provincial army, was assigned to the company led by the Margrave's heir. Even at a young age, the heir was known as a hero, and the Margrave trusted him enough to entrust his son to his care.

The company was sent to the battlefield against the Lukas Holy Kingdom but got lost and entered the Moenia Mountains within Lukas territory.

Although they could have turned back, the company commander, the Margrave's heir, insisted on pushing through the mountain pass, leading them deeper into the mountains.

Unfortunately, deep in the mountains was a village of the Lukas Holy Kingdom's elite assassination unit, the Beastmen.

My grandfather and his squad were ambushed by the Beastmen. Out of the hundred soldiers in the company, only about fifty, including the wounded, remained, and the company faced the threat of annihilation.

To protect the Margrave's heir, my grandfather led his squad in a counterattack. At the time, his subordinates included skilled men like Walt, Nicholas, and Hector. They fought a fierce battle against a roughly equal number of thirty Beastmen.

Despite being wounded all over, my grandfather managed to defeat several Beastmen. After a full day of fighting, reinforcements arrived, and they saw the battlefield littered with the dead, with my grandfather, covered in blood, intimidating the remaining Beastmen.

The story reached the Margrave, who, impressed by my grandfather's prowess, compared him to a lion that commands beasts and bestowed the title "Lionheart."

(I received a mithril knife on my fifth birthday, which was a gift from that company commander. But I never heard this story before...)

"But I never heard this story from the old man or my father."

"I wasn't serving at the time, so I'm not sure, but I heard that the previous lord, after being knighted, faced constant harassment from the nobility. They were upset that a commoner had been given a title by the Margrave. This is probably why the story was never told in the manor."

"Right. I don't know much about the time when we moved to the village, but I once asked Gowith why we moved there. He didn't say much but mentioned that he had fulfilled his duty to his lord. It seems a lot happened."

Lidi also didn't know much.

A commoner became a knight and didn't know how to socialize with the nobility. If he had asked to be included, the nobility might have stopped harassing him, but given my grandfather's character, he wouldn't have done that.

When the previous Margrave retired, my grandfather led Walt and others to the free village of Rasmor. The title "Lionheart" was probably not a good memory for them.

(The title "Lionheart" is something a king would have. Many probably thought it was a waste to give it to a commoner...)

We talked about this as we walked through the town, but as dinner time approached, we decided to return to the inn. Back at the inn, I tried to train as usual, but Guy advised me to rest to avoid carrying fatigue into the next day.

I didn't feel particularly tired, but I decided to listen to Guy, who was experienced in travel, and returned to my room. I remembered the meal and asked Guy why we were having room service.

"Actually, we were supposed to have dinner in the room. It would have been fine in the dining hall, but there are many people in this town who know me, and I thought it might cause trouble for Sir Zack and Lady Lydia..."

Guy was considerate, thinking that if people recognized us, they might bother us. I didn't mind, but I appreciated Guy's thoughtfulness for Lidi.

The room assignments were as expected: me and Guy, Lidi and Sharon. It was a bit disappointing, but there was no choice. Another disappointment was that the inn didn't have a bath. I wanted to soak in a bath to wash off the fatigue of the journey, but apparently, there were no such facilities in this town.

"Probably not until we reach Periclitur. If you want to wash, I can get some hot water."

Guy's words reminded me that the communal bath in Rasmor Village was a rare facility. When I asked for hot water,

"I often think of the bath you built in the village when I travel. It's truly a treasure of the village."

Guy went to the front desk to get the water, and I was left alone. I lay on the bed, reflecting on the day.

(A lot happened today. Thinking about the village still makes my eyes well up... But I was excited by the new town, new land, new people, and new culture. They said we would enter a dangerous road tomorrow. I need to stay focused, but my heart can't help but leap...)

I was more tired than I thought. It wasn't physical fatigue but mental exhaustion. I must have fallen asleep before Guy returned. I woke up to the sound of the door opening.

(I need to improve my awareness... This town is safe, but I need to stay focused...)

I wiped my body with the water Guy brought and felt refreshed before having dinner.

Lidi and Sharon joined us in our room. The food wasn't as good as at the manor, but it was better than expected, and we enjoyed it slowly. The noise from the tavern could be faintly heard through the open wooden window.

(It's been a while since I felt this atmosphere. Maybe since I was in Japan... Our village was really rural...)

After chatting with Lidi and the others, I decided to go to bed early. I fell asleep quickly, overwhelmed by sleepiness.

The next morning, I woke up refreshed at dawn and quietly left the room to avoid waking Guy. I headed to the inn's backyard to do my morning training.

The inn staff had already started preparing breakfast. I washed my face at the well without disturbing them and began swinging the new bastard sword I had made with Beltram.

I wasn't used to this sword. It was larger and heavier than the wooden swords I was used to, and I wobbled each time I swung it.

(I need to practice more during breaks. I can't use this in a real fight. Byron probably called me a burden because of this new sword. He wasn't entirely wrong...)

After about ten minutes, Guy came to the backyard to exercise. The Rockheart family's squires never skipped training, even in any situation. Even Nicholas, who handled internal affairs, trained in the morning and evening and participated in the village's self-defense training every few days. Naturally, Guy never skipped training. He was devoted to my grandfather and trained hard to gain his approval.

We greeted each other and began practicing with our swords. Occasionally, Guy would give me pointers, and we continued for about thirty minutes. Sharon joined us halfway through, swinging her slim short sword.

As we focused on our practice, sweat flew and our breathing became heavy, but I felt that the day wouldn't start without this.

(I've been doing this since I was four. It's been six years...)

After finishing our practice, I washed my face and wiped the sweat off with the cold water from the well before returning to the room. By then, Lidi had woken up and greeted me with a sleepy expression.