abnabooks Chapter 137 Knight's Squire
Chapter 137 Knight's Squire
Chapter 137 Knight's Squire
The old man before them was named Mick; he was a knight and also the master of this village.
When Dick passed through the village, it was already evening, so he asked the villagers if he could stay there for the night.
When Mik heard the villagers' message and learned that Dick was a knight's squire who was about to take office, he immediately agreed with joy and sent people to receive him warmly.
Dick felt the enthusiasm, but the joy only existed in the words of the person relaying it.
They treated him to a local specialty called sour pork chops, the jam of which was said to be made by the villagers from the fruit they grew themselves.
It tastes good, and the villagers proudly say that a queen once praised this dish highly.
After that, Dick was invited to the village chief's room.
Upon seeing Mick's appearance, Dick never imagined that he was actually a knight.
Mick's skin was loose, he was extremely thin, and age spots had even grown onto the top of his head.
He had several layers of soft pillows behind his back, which made it difficult for him to sit up on the bed and turn his head to face Dick.
He scrutinized Dick for a moment with his deep-set, lifeless eyes, and finally opened his mouth, revealing only five teeth:
"Although I am a knight, I envy you as a squire. I have never attended a knight school, so I do not have solid martial arts skills. Therefore, many people laugh at my title and call me 'Lucky Dog' Mick."
Dick said respectfully, "But you are still a knight, you are my senior, and someone I must respect."
"Haha, that's right, that's why I've always dismissed what those people say."
Mick laughed a few times, but then coughed even more because he couldn't breathe properly.
"But, Dick, there are fewer and fewer humble knights like you these days. Although everyone says that knighthood is dead and virtue is gone, there must be someone to uphold the way of the knight. Although I am not qualified to say this, I firmly believe that this is true."
Dick nodded.
He thought so too.
"But may I ask," Mick said, "whose squire would you like to be?"
"Earl Hubert Peyton".
Upon hearing this, Mick's slightly closed eyes suddenly snapped open:
"You mean, a loyal dog!"
"Hmm," Dick nodded.
He also understood that Earl Hubert must be very famous in this generation.
This place wasn't even within the territory of Earl Hubert, yet almost everyone knew the name "Loyal Dog."
"Haha," Mick laughed, "I never expected this! I really never expected this! Dick, you'll understand, following him will definitely be your good fortune!"
Many people told Dick this, and Dick had also heard many stories about loyal dogs.
They say he's ruthless and decisive, but no one says he's a good teacher.
But riding the earth is ultimately a personal journey, and Dick doesn't need to ask for too much from it.
Mick added, "Speaking of which, I also had a special connection with loyal dogs!"
Then, Mick began to recount his past.
After hearing this, Dick realized that the loyal dog had once led an army to attack and occupy this place.
It was a war between the Montero Hills and the royal family, which ended in a complete victory for Count Hubert.
Dick had heard about the battle, but Mick's version undoubtedly contained more personal details about the loyal dog.
If Mick wasn't exaggerating, Dick thought Earl Hubert must have been a decisive and efficient person.
Mick told Dick, "Although I got my title and fiefdom by sheer luck, I've met many important people because of it. And as a vassal of Duke Thomas, I should have the utmost respect for him."
"But the Duke is long gone, and I'll be soon too. I just want to tell the truth now. Hubert Peyton, the loyal dog, is absolutely the most fucking man I've ever met in my life."
Dick felt that Mick wasn't lying, but what exactly is a man?
Some people think that having that thing means you're a man, while others believe that only those who are physically strong and upright qualify. Some even say that only after becoming a father can one call themselves a man.
Everyone has different standards, so Dick could only take it with a grain of salt.
He firmly believed that seeing is believing, and regardless of how others evaluated the loyal dog, Dick felt that he had to see for himself.
After that, Mick's words went further and further off track.
The story includes everything from queens and lords to the battles he participated in, his son's wedding, and his grandson whom he couldn't save even after burning ten green-eyed people alive.
He even mentioned that he once refused a young girl's offer to buy his armor, saying that the armor was a symbol of him as a knight and would be passed down as the glory of his family from generation to generation.
Afterwards, Mick slowly fell asleep while talking.
Throughout the conversation, Dick listened quietly, almost without interrupting.
Mick is old enough; let him talk his fill.
Dick believed that a true knight should respect and be considerate of his elders.
He turned off the light and quietly walked out of the room.
Dick immediately fell asleep, and woke up early the next morning.
After thanking Mick and saying goodbye, Dick continued on his way.
Before walking away, Dick offered a knightly prayer towards the village.
I pray that old Mike will live a few more days and die a quick death.
They then rode horses to the Montero Hills.
More than thirty days have passed since Dick set off from the Desert Knight Academy.
He had finally arrived in the Montero Hills and was not far from Count Hubert's trough port.
If his horse had been younger and stronger, perhaps he would have arrived by now.
But these were horses given to him for free by the academy, so what more could he ask for?
Dean Matt said the college doesn't usually give away horses, but he was an exception.
The academy owes Dick too much and hopes to make amends to him through this.
Can a weak and old stallion possibly make up for a person's wasted youth?
Most people might find it laughable, but true riders never complain.
Dick simply accepted the order calmly, decisively mounted his horse, and set off without saying or thinking a word.
Having a horse to ride is already considered good; most knights and squires travel to their posts by carriage.
Even an old horse isn't something everyone can afford.
Although Dick was barely a member of a noble family, his family didn't have the spare money to buy him a horse.
Upon entering the hilly area, Dick noticed a strange phenomenon: most of the people there were dressed in black.
He initially thought it was a clothing preference in hilly areas.
It wasn't until a day later, when he arrived in Kew Gardens, that he learned the reason.
The previous lord of the Montero Hills, the Duke of Pena, died not long ago, and his funeral has just ended.
Dick didn't linger and continued on his way.
After another day of travel, as night fell, Dick rented a room at a roadside motel.
While having dinner in the canteen, Dick overheard people talking about how things had been unsettled in the area lately, with bandits frequently appearing.
Perhaps because the Duke of Pena was old, he was no longer able to respond to and assist the poor minor lords in the hills.
The population in hilly areas is not large to begin with, and the number of people under the command of a small lord is limited. As long as a bandit den has more than ten people, they can move freely in and out of villages and orchards.
However, if you go a little further south, the situation will improve considerably.
That place is close to the trough harbor.
No one dares to let their loyal dog smell their urine.
But now that the Duke of Pena is dead and the new Duke of Montero has ascended the throne, the situation should change drastically.
However, the food was served quickly, and Dick stopped paying attention to the rumors.
The food here is awful. The steamed beef he ordered not only had a bloody smell that hadn't been completely removed, but the meat was also tougher than an old lady's foot. Dick had to use a knife to cut the meat into tiny pieces before he could even chew it.
But true riders never complain. Dick simply squeezed the sweet and sour jam that Mike had given him before parting onto the meat and ate it as a meal.
Then I went upstairs and slept until morning.
After waking up, Dick tidied himself up, put on his helmet, and prepared to have a quick breakfast downstairs before continuing his journey.
But when he opened the door, he immediately realized that something seemed to have happened downstairs.
Dick had noticed the commotion when it first started, but he initially thought it was just a drunken brawl.
But now he can be certain that things are not as simple as he thought.
He carefully stepped down the stairs and peered out at the last corner to check the situation.
At this moment, a group of people armed with inferior weapons had occupied the hotel lobby.
Based on the rumors he heard last night, Dick guessed that these people must be bandits.
There were ten people inside the house, and quite a few more outside.
Judging from the way those people held their weapons, they must have been novices.
Inside the lobby, four other employees were all crouching on the floor with their heads in their hands.
The seven guests who were drinking and eating at the table also stopped drinking and putting down their spoons, not daring to move an inch from their seats.
Only one short-haired old man, around fifty years old, was calmly tearing apart bread and dipping it in the salty soup in front of him, with his back to the bandits.
Dick felt confident that as long as the number of bandits outside the hotel did not exceed twenty, he could lead the people inside to kill them.
Now that he hasn't been discovered by the bandits, he can launch a surprise attack and catch them off guard.
He also knows a few basic martial arts techniques, and I believe he can quickly kill everyone in the house.
Afterwards, they mobilized the shop assistants and guests to pick up the bandits' weapons and fight back.
Led by this trained knight apprentice, they should be able to easily defeat a bandit force that outnumbers them two to three times over.
Just as he was thinking this, he suddenly sensed a murderous intent coming from behind him.
He instinctively drew his sword and swung it backward, just enough to block the weapon that was coming down from above.
That's a chain hammer.
He blocked the handle of the hammer, but the hammerhead, connected to the chain, came hurtling towards his head in a circular motion.
Dick was too late to dodge, and the hammer struck him squarely on the head.
He felt dizzy and tumbled down the stairs.
But he immediately forced himself to pull himself together, got up and ran, and when he looked up, the enemy wielding a chain hammer was already chasing after him again.
Although the attack just now greatly slowed down Dick's reaction speed, he was naturally calmer than the average person.
The mistake he made taught him a lesson.
The chain hammer came down from above. This time, Dick did not choose to block, but dodged to the side and used the martial art "Spinning Slash" at the same time!
Dick thrust his sword behind him, but with an extremely strange twist of his body, he reversed direction and slashed forward again.
The hand that the bandit had just used to swing his weapon was suddenly severed from his body.
Only a neat gap remains on the severed arm.
Dick mercifully added another blow, causing the bandit to suffer in agony for only a second.
He also realized that he must have been discovered by the other bandits by now.
Turning to look at the bandits, sure enough, they all looked at Dick and raised their weapons at him.
The unbearable pain on the top of his head prevented him from concentrating on his thoughts.
He raised his sword with his right hand, aiming it at the bandits to guard against a surprise attack, while quickly removing his helmet with his left hand.
When Dick threw the helmet to the floor and saw the deep dent in it, he realized how dangerous it had just been.
If he hadn't been wearing a helmet, he would be dead by now.
However, right now, he needs a clear mind more than protection.
After taking off his helmet, he felt his mind was much lighter and clearer, and he immediately began to think.
Having witnessed Dick's strength, the bandits, out of caution, did not act rashly and stood guard against Dick. At the stairwell, two more people appeared, along with five more bandits, who entered through the hotel's main entrance.
Dick listened carefully; there seemed to be no one outside the hotel.
There were seventeen enemies in total.
This situation is very unfavorable for Dick.
Now that he has been discovered, the battle plan he had just devised in his mind has been ruined.
He would have to fight all his enemies head-on.
Even the best fighters cannot be outnumbered.
Besides, Dick was just a newly graduated knight apprentice.
He was confident he could take on five novices head-on, but with each additional person added, his situation became increasingly difficult.
If there are more than eight, he dares not say that he will have the last laugh.
Currently, there are seventeen.
A head-on confrontation would be extremely dangerous for Dick.
He observed the layout of the room and noticed that the window behind him was directly facing the livestock shed.
Dick's horse was tethered there; all he had to do was break open the window, jump out of the hall, mount the horse, and he would be able to escape every day.
but-
"What I cultivate is the Way of the Earth Rider," Dick thought. "The Earth Rider only knows how to fight bravely; how could he possibly escape in the face of danger!"
Moreover, if he escapes, the unarmed people in the house may be in danger.
Dick kicked the chain hammer at his feet toward the nearest guest, demanding that the man pick up Lenga.
"But," the guest hesitated to reach out.
"Pick it up!" Dick roared. "I can take you to kill all the bandits, and then you'll be a hero! Otherwise, you'll only die!"
Seemingly finding Dick's words too arrogant, the bandits burst into laughter.
The guest finally mustered his courage, roared, and picked up the chain hammer from the ground.
He grabbed the broken arm that held the chain hammer, which then became a long-handled weapon.
Dick thought it was pretty good; beginners could more easily demonstrate their combat prowess using polearms.
Dick tightened his grip on his sword, then his eyes suddenly sharpened, and he charged forward.
Martial Arts - Flash Thrust!
Dick rushed to the front of a bandit at lightning speed and pierced the man's throat before he could react.
He then quickly turned around and looked at a bandit next to him.
The man raised his spear to parry, blocking Dick's attack.
Martial Arts Technique: Mighty Slash!
Dick suddenly felt a tremendous force surging in his arm, so he continued to press forward.
The next moment, the spear shaft was broken by Dick's sword, and the blade continued forward, slicing open the opponent's chest.
Without pausing, Dick immediately attacked the other bandits.
The guest followed behind Dick to assist him.
But the enemy didn't just stand by and watch; they stabbed and slashed at Dick, who tried his best to dodge and parry.
If you can't dodge it, then choose to take it head-on with your armor.
After several rounds, Dick killed four more men, leaving only eleven bandits.
However, the helper following behind him had already been killed in action.
Dick's armor was also covered in dents.
This is not just a battle, it's a fight to the death.
The battle will not stop; only when one side is completely annihilated will the war drums cease.
He stabbed a bandit, but to no avail.
But the enemy's attacks came down as fast as summer rain, and we had to dodge and parry the relentless onslaught.
Suddenly, after he had almost deflected all the attacks, a giant axe came from an angle that Dick could hardly defend against.
Dick was surprised to discover that there was a guy in the group who could wield a giant axe.
He suddenly realized that the man must have deliberately refrained from attacking Dick.
This was to suppress his aura so that he could deliver a fatal blow to Dick at the right moment.
This guy is a trained fighter!
This giant axe would surely be able to easily penetrate Dick's armor defenses, and might even be able to cut Dick in two.
He had to get away.
Dick had no choice but to abandon his posture and lie down on the ground.
While this might allow him to temporarily dodge the attack, if the opponent pursued him, Dick would have no room to dodge. Sure enough, the burly man caught up and raised his giant axe above his head, then chopped it down at Dick.
Dick had no choice but to raise his longsword to parry.
However.-·
The sword was cleaved in two by the giant axe.
As the giant axe drew ever closer to his body, Dick knew his life was over!
Just then, he suddenly remembered Anne.
Annie's face, which haunted his dreams, lingered in his mind.
At the same time, he also remembered the book Annie had given him—"How to Train Your Dragon: Uriel's Fitness Guide".
He studied the contents of the book based on Anne's suggestion.
Furthermore, he was surprised to discover that the book contained records of extremely powerful forces.
However, so far he has only studied part of the material.
But there seems to be a move that can resolve the current crisis for him.
Thinking of this, Dick immediately used his remaining hand to form a hand seal and channeled the power within his body through his fingers.
Then that power instantly transferred to his eyes, and he felt his pupils emit a light like lava.
Then, the power flowed to the area he wanted to strengthen.
Fire Dragon Scales!
The moment the move was completed, the giant axe swung down and struck Dick in the chest.
The giant axe easily pierced through the breastplate.
It would have been an easier task to then cut up Dick's body.
However, the big man suddenly frowned, as if he sensed something was wrong with the feel of his hand.
His axe stopped abruptly when it struck Dick's ribs.
The technique worked! Dick was overjoyed.
But as long as the battle is not over, he cannot let his fighting spirit wane.
He immediately threw the broken sword in his right hand.
It spun and flew, then slashed into the big man's neck.
Blood rained down in front of Dick, and his massive body crashed to the ground.
Before the man could figure out how Dick had defended against his attack, he died in bewilderment.
Dick had no time to celebrate his victory. He quickly got up, grabbed a scythe from the ground, and began fighting the remaining enemies.
At this moment, having realized that the abilities in "How to Train Your Dragon: Uriel's Fitness Manual" could be fully utilized on the battlefield, Dick attempted to incorporate its power into subsequent battles.
After an unknown amount of time, only Dick remained standing, still holding a weapon.
Dick was already out of breath; he had lost his fourth weapon.
Turning to the tavern's guests and staff, he said, "Alright, it's all over. Let's clean up the mess."
No one moved; the room was completely silent.
Dick repeated himself: "The enemy has been killed. Move out!"
Only then did they finally understand what had happened and gradually emerged from their shock.
The crowd couldn't help but applaud, praising Dick's heroic actions and expressing their gratitude for his feat.
However, Dick was not in the mood to respond to these comments.
Feeling extremely tired, I sat down in the seat next to me.
Across from me, right there is that old man.
The old man remained calm, having already finished his bread.
He handed Dick a glass of wine; Dick was indeed very thirsty.
Without thinking much, he took the glass and drank it down in one gulp, which made him feel a little better.
The old man finally spoke: "The wound isn't too deep, but it still needs to be stopped from bleeding and the bone stabilized."
Dick nodded, unaware of who this person was.
But when Dick looked directly into the old man's eyes, he was surprised to find that they were the eyes of a warrior!
This old man was no ordinary person; he could diagnose Dick's injuries at a glance.
Moreover, the old man had clearly been surrounded by bandits, yet Dick saw not a trace of fear in him.
Just as Dick was guessing the old man's identity, the old man asked again:
"You should have had a chance to escape. I sensed a momentary wavering, indicating that the thought of running away crossed your mind. But why did you stay?"
"A knight cannot abandon the weak," Dick replied.
Upon hearing this, the old man narrowed his eyes and scrutinized Dick for a long time:
"Are you a knight?"
"No, she was just a servant."
Then, the old man remained silent for a few seconds.
Afterward, he took out his money bag, put down a few small silver coins, and got up to leave the tavern.
"I have a feeling we'll meet again."
When the old man arrived at the door, he suddenly turned his back to Dick and said,
"I hope you will always remember your words, Sir—"
Dick always felt that the old man's way of speaking had a profound and unfathomable quality.
But he didn't think much of it and immediately followed the old man's advice to treat his wound.
Afterwards, following his previous plan, he ate breakfast and continued on his journey.
The next day, he finally arrived at the port.
Once you step through the city gate, you can take in the entire dock.
While not as prosperous as the bottom port in the Avery Desert, the Trough port was certainly a thriving place.
It is clear that Hubert Peyton, the loyal dog, must also be a lord who governs effectively.
Dick had heard enough tales of loyal dogs along the way, but now his desire to meet Earl Hubert and find out who he really was had become even stronger.
Upon arriving at the castle outside the harbor, Dick handed the guards a letter of introduction.
Soon, the guards received a reply and led him into the castle.
This is the Earl's study, and it seems the loyal dog is going to receive him here.
He pushed open the door and saw a person standing by the window with their back to Dick, looking out.
That must be Earl Hubert, but why did Dick feel that the figure was somewhat familiar, as if he had seen it somewhere before?
But now is not the time to be distracted, he said loudly:
"Lord Peyton, I have been recommended by the Desert Knight Academy to serve as your squire. My name is Dick Buchanan, and I am at your disposal. Please take good care of me."
Only then did Hubert turn around.
But when Dick saw Hubert's face, he could hardly help but be dumbfounded.
Dick had seen that face before.
Is this...the old man I met at the tavern yesterday?!
Just as Dick was puzzled, a faint smile appeared on the old man's face.
He spoke in a cold, mournful tone, as if announcing the death sentence to a condemned prisoner:
"I said we would meet again."