CHAPTER 271: NOT RUSTY YET

The Barasca knights’ quarter was an accommodation that became home for Barasca knights and was provided by the Duke of Barasca.

It was built in the large area where the de Lara mansion was located but was separated from the main building where the Duke’s family lived. And the position was set in the northeast, where woods that could normally be passed in about a five- to ten-minute walk connected the quarter to the area of the main building.

In the backyard of the knight’s quarter, several well-built and muscular knights that were not on duty were gathered, but not to be slack. They were working at maintaining their physical shape and sharpening their agile movement, as they bear a heavy burden on their shoulders to be the guardian of the Duke’s family and Barasca.

Non-Terrans could be seen among them. Some were sitting on the brownish to reddish grasses, panting heavily, while the other two were standing facing each other, holding a sword to be pointed at one another, and one of them was none other than General Canillas von Rodega of Archess.

He was shirtless, showing off his well-defined muscles and sun-kissed skin that was glistening in the ray of sun, as his toned body was drenched in sweat. Before him was Luca, who was more robust and bulky in shape and was now completely healed from the wolf attack.

Canillas was there to see his men-at-arms and explained to them that their return to Archess would be delayed until further notice. They had asked the reasons behind the change of schedule, and the answer that he could give them was that he had another important matter to handle.

Disappointment was clearly drawn on their faces as they had missed their homeland, feeling impatient to return home and unable to spend another single day in the land that had taken longer to stay in than the prediction.

He could not explain more than that, and he was not good at comforting others. To be exact, he did not bother to comfort others, as the profession that he had chosen had shaped him into a cold, unapproachable character.

He had trained himself to get used to dwelling in his own emotions and feelings until he found comfort in being in the lone, bottomless pit. The deeper, the better.

To him, it was pivotal so that he would feel numb when his enemies attempted to weaken him by beckoning his emotions. He would feel no fear when his enemies tried to threaten him because they would find nothing as a threat to make him succumb before them.

The more distant he became as a person, the less pain he would feel, and the safer the people around him would be. It was his thought until she arrived, showing up herself before his very eyes, pulling him out of that dark and cold pit, making him willing to live in the light as long as she was there, staying by his side.

At such a circumstance, Canillas was not sure if he allowed his friends to throw their annoyance at him or if it was he who wanted to distract their minds from disappointment for not being able to go back home based on the initial schedule.

He accepted their challenges in sword fighting.

Yet what was sure was that he accepted their challenges because it had been quite a while since he had sword practice with them.

They had been sweating, basking under the sun for more than three hours now, which made him belatedly realize that the crowded backyard had turned into almost a deserted one as, one by one, the Barasca knights, who had taken part in practicing with him and his men, got inside the building to end their practicing time.

"Watch out, Luc. He is not rusty yet, though he has taken a long time away from holding his sword," Fabio warned Luca in a loud voice.

He had thought to be on the upper hand when he pointed his sword at Canillas a few minutes ago.

After several days of not seeing him, as he was away to be with the family of his wife, he came to their chambers, surprisingly informing them that their return to Archess would be delayed again. As a result, yesterday’s joy after he announced that they would be back to Archess within three days evaporated into the cold air.

Without him telling the real reason behind the sudden change of schedule, as he made an excuse that he had an important matter to attend to, Fabio got his gut to tell him what made his friend change his mind about rescheduling their return date.

He was a thorough and well-organized person, rarely miscalculating something that he saw as important.

What a smitten husband. Fabio sighed heavily at the thought.

He was not sure if his comrades were aware of this, but he kept this certainty to himself. Nonetheless, he could not hide his vexation at the change of schedule, as he and his comrades had merrily packed up, ready to return to their homeland the day after tomorrow if the schedule was fixed.

In annoyance, he challenged Canillas in sword fighting. He knew that the youngest General of Archess was unbeatable. Yet he could not have his mind changed to challenge him. He wanted to punish the smitten husband for ruining their joy.

He might have a delusional confidence that he would beat him once based on the fact that he had been absent from having sword training with them, which they usually had when he had time and was not away from home due to his heavy duty as a high-ranking soldier.

But what did he get in the end? He lost hold of his sword, and the General managed to point the tip of his sword right before his nose. It was not the first time, though, and he could only throw his sword on the ground and raise his hands in surrender.

The General remained unbeatable after all, which was a relief to him, as he never wanted the General to be rusty, as the battles that he had faced and would face were never minor. He wished the General to remain sharp on every side, no matter how long he took the time of absence from holding his sword.

The same thing also happened to Ben and Tillo, who had been defeated. And Fabio was pessimistic if Luca would win over Canillas. Despite his larger frame and superior sword skill compared to the two of them, there would be a high possibility for him to be defeated by Canillas, who was the most superior among them all.

However, it seemed that he could not watch who the winner would be this time, as across from the big yard where they were now perspiring, a dainty figure was approaching.