The Stellar Swordmaster — Chapter 15

THE SQUIRES ARE BUSY SPARRING, I SEE.

I WOULD LIKE TO WATCH FOR A MOMENT.

YES, SIR.

IS THAT HIM?

I DID HEAR THAT HE HAS BLOND HAIR, SIR.

HE LOOKS RESPECTABLE ENOUGH.

SIR, OVER THERE...

HMM?

SOMEONE IS OBSERVING THE SQUIRES IN SECRET.

AH, IT'S ZAYAR.

HE MUST BE ANXIOUS ABOUT HIS NEWEST RECRUIT.

LET'S SEE...

...WHAT HE'S GOT.

Episode 15

URGH!

MY GOODNESS, HE'S FEARLESS.

EVEN WHEN FACING SOMEONE AT LEAST A HEAD TALLER THAN HIM.

HE'S STILL RATHER CLUMSY.

IS THAT SO?

BUT HE HAS A SPARK IN HIM.

I ADMIRE HIM...

FOR AT LEAST ATTEMPTING TO PUT TO USE THE THINGS HE HAS LEARNED.

REMEMBER THIS, VLAD.

ALL SWORDSMANSHIP BEGINS WITH FOOT TECHNIQUE.

PAY ATTENTION TO THE POSITION OF YOUR FEET.

ONCE YOU LEARN TO DECEIVE YOUR OPPONENTS WITH YOUR SHOULDERS AND GAZE...

HYAH!

...YOU WILL BE ABLE TO CONTROL THEM WITH YOUR MOVEMENTS.

URK!

I-I THOUGHT HE WAS AIMING FOR MY LEFT SIDE!

!

YOU'RE SOVANIN'S LACKEY, AREN'T YOU?

I SAW YOU LAUGHING AT ME IN THE DINING HALL YESTERDAY.

WELL, LOOK WHO'S LAUGHING NOW.

GOOD LORD.

SHOULD THEY REALLY BEAT EACH OTHER SO BRUTALLY DURING TRAINING?

LEAVE THEM BE.

LOWER

A KNIGHT MUST BE STRONG AT HEART.

BESIDES, ZAYAR APPEARS TO BE PLEASED AS WELL.

AH... YES, YOU'RE QUITE RIGHT, SIR.

S-STOP!

THAT'S ENOUGH!

I SAID, STOP IT!

DO YOU HEAR ME?!

SORRY. I WAS SO FOCUSED.

TH-THAT LOOK IN HIS EYES IS TERRIFYING.

WOULD YOU APOLOGIZE TO HIM FOR ME?

I TEND TO HAVE A HARD TIME STOPPING WHEN I'M ENGROSSED IN BATTLE.

YOU SON OF A...

I'D LIKE TO APOLOGIZE TO YOU IN ADVANCE AS WELL.

BECAUSE I WON'T LET YOU OFF THIS EASILY.

I'LL CALL YOU IF THE SOUP IS TOO BLAND. YOU CAN COME AND SPIT IN IT FOR ME.

TH-THAT GUY REALLY IS A FREAK.

LORD JOSEF BROUGHT BACK A RABID DOG FROM THE SLUMS!

CAPTAIN, I HEAR YOU'VE BEEN GOING AROUND BEATING UP THE OTHER SQUIRES.

ALL THE SERVANTS ARE TALKING ABOUT IT.

WHAT ABOUT YOU?

DO YOU ENJOY WORKING IN THE STABLES?

OF COURSE! THESE ARE NO ORDINARY STABLES.

THEY'RE HOUSE VAYEZID'S--

HOLD ON, WE'RE GETTING OFF TOPIC.

HAVE YOU BEEN GETTING INTO FIGHTS HERE AT THE ESTATE?

THAT'S A CRIME, YOU KNOW.

WHAT'S THE BIG DEAL?

HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN? I WAS ALREADY A CRIMINAL TO BEGIN WITH.

IN TERMS OF SHEER BRUTALITY, I'D SAY I WENT EASY ON THEM.

OH, RIGHT... I GUESS THAT'S TRUE.

I DON'T HIT THEM OUT IN THE OPEN OR ANYTHING, SO IT'S FINE.

AND THEY'RE THE ONES WHO PICK A FIGHT WITH ME FIRST.

HOW IN THE WORLD IS THAT FINE?

BECAUSE NO ONE WASTES MY TIME BY COMING UP AND TRYING TO TALK TO ME.

H-HI THERE.

M-MY NAME IS PORTLEY.

PORTLEY CANNOR.

WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?

STAMMER

W-WELL...

EITHER SIT DOWN OR GET LOST.

STOP HOVERING LIKE THAT. YOU'LL GIVE ME INDIGESTION.

OH...

R-REALLY?

THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME SIT WITH YOU!

THAT WAS A HINT FOR HIM TO GET LOST.

I'VE ALWAYS HAD TO EAT ALONE...

...IN BATHROOMS AND PLACES LIKE THAT.

IN CASE YOU HAVEN'T NOTICED, I'M EATING RIGHT NOW.

I'M TRYING TO ENJOY THIS PRECIOUS SAUSAGE...

OH, DO YOU LIKE THE SAUSAGES?

MY FATHER SUPPLIES THEM.

THE CANNOR FAMILY PROVIDES ALL THE MEAT HERE.

WE'VE BEEN RAISING LIVESTOCK FOR GENERATIONS.

I NOTICED YOU ASKING FOR ANOTHER SAUSAGE EARLIER.

WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO GIVE YOU SOME?

WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?

ARE YOU TRYING TO BRIBE ME WITH SAUSAGES?

MY DAD SENDS ME A LOT OF FOOD...

...BUT IT'S TOO MUCH FOR ME TO EAT BY MYSELF.

THE SQUIRES HERE ARE ALL FROM WEALTHY FAMILIES.

I ALMOST FORGOT THAT I COULD HAVE NEVER EVEN DREAMED OF TALKING TO PEOPLE LIKE THEM BACK IN THE SLUMS.

THIS MIGHT BE A GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD CONNECTIONS, AT LEAST.

PORTLEY.

WOULD YOU LIKE TO EAT TOGETHER FROM NOW ON?

AM I IN HEAVEN?

REALLY? DO YOU MEAN IT?

OF COURSE!

WE SQUIRES NEED TO STICK TOGETHER.

THIS IS HEAVEN...

IT'S NOT ONLY BECAUSE OF THE SAUSAGES.