Kay went first and the swords clashed.
Carseain pushed him back with a single blow.
Carseain : " Damn, you're weak."
Kay got all red.
Kay : " I know that, goddamn it! No need to rub it in."
Len smiled awkwardly.
' Well, it is not that he is weak but that the qualifications to be called strong in our Knightage are too high.
Just for the record, he was among the top 50 of the graduating class.'
The Spar was watched closely by the knights who were too tired to even walk yet their brains were working at full speed.
They watched all his movements closely and tried to imbibe any skill that they could.
Otto : " I don't know if it is because that they have A captain younger and stronger than them that there are so driven "
James : " The Lord did a wonderful job picking the Knights himself."
Gerrad : " He always had a good eye for people. Their pride and jealousy do not get in the way of improving. Look at them devouring their li'l cap's moves with those hungry eyes."
They laughed.
Rovenin was delighted to see the healthy atmosphere. His aim was for the knights to have a good impression of Carseain so that they would rely on and be reliable in times of need, especially during battles.
_____
Kay was on his knees and Lina passed out.
Carseain was panting.
" Gosh, do you really have to go and pass out like that? "
He said as he moved her to a place with tree shade. He did not want her to stay under the sun as that would only make her more dehydrated.
Nevertheless, he was too tired for it.
"Hey, Kay. Do you mind giving me a hand?"
" Can't you see that I'm on my knees?!!
I don't even--"
" Have the strength to talk... Is that it?! Too weak."
Carseain somehow tried to drag her.
Len stepped in and took Lina off his shoulders.
He carried her there on his back
" I'll help you. "
" Touching other women so carelessly, what about Maria? "
Len turned red.
"Captain?! Oh, that..uh... Wait, It's Miriam! "
Kay clicked his tongue.
" Stupid!"
Carseain : " You too!"
"Huh?!"
" Stupid! You got a good pair of legs, make use of them, dumbass.
From now on don't just charge in like others generally do rather only aim for the vitals. That is your hint to develop a new style which will make you stronger."
" Um?! Isn't that what we always do? Aim for the vitals..."
" ONLY that word is the key during a fight we also attack overall to cause damage, right?"
" Yeah~~, but.. . I am still not sure I will get it."
"Yep, that's why you are stupid! dumbass."
Kay gritted his teeth.
'He called me stupid twice. He did it twice in the same sentence two times in the two conversations.
Wait, what did he do twice in two sentences twice conversations... no, was it towards and twice in a sentence...no ..what am I thinking?...
What was I thinking?... What am I supposed to think?! '
Kay, confused by his own thoughts, started scratching his head and let out a scream of anguish.
Carseain looked at him with narrowed eyes.
" That is why you are stupid..."
He mumbles as if he had a fair idea of what was brewing in his head.
"Huh?!!"
Kay looked at him.
Carseain shook his head.
" Hey, Ol' man. You heard what I said, correct? "
Otto : " Oh sure!"
Carseain smirked.
" Otto~, I was talking to Gerrard. I didn't know you thought of yourself as an old man."
Gerrard laughed as Otto got red.
" This brat, you were looking at me on purpose were you not?!"
" Haha, well anyway, then it's on you, Ol' man Otto, help this bud, will ya? Our Kay here is broken. Fix him. "
" Ah... whatever."
As Carseain was laughing it off, he sensed a presence with bloodlust.
" That was scary, Elle."
He dodged only to find another pouncing on him.
"Nice assist, Belle."
He grabbed his sword which he let go while carrying Lina to fend himself.
He was able to get off with a scratch on his arm.
It was nothing compared to all the other scars which he had all over his body.
Elle : " There was nothing scary, captain."
Belle : " How did you let your guard down?
Pardon me but this is a fray, not a lesson."
Carseain smirked as he licked his lips once as he took the stance.
" Thanks for reminding me, girls. Now, let's get it heated up again."
He said as he signalled them to come at him.
They took a few heavy blows.
Elle : ' Why the hell is it so heavy? Are you not tired? "
Carseain : ' That swing was weak. Looks like my stamina is up.'
Belle and Elle glanced at each other and started running in opposite directions.
After a short distance, they turned towards Carseain again and started attacking.
It was a synchronized attack aiming for places diagonally opposite to the previous attack.
Carseain found it very difficult to move his sword to the farthest point from where it previously was.
Therefore he counted it with a strategy of dodging one and defending against the next attack.
Belle : ' It is a good strategy but it is not that easy to move so freely in close quarters.'
Elle : ' Even if he has a good body and physique it is going to be hard to keep up with both of us.'
However, it turned out to be a battle of endurance.
He was keeping up with all the attacks thanks to his extremely fast reflex time.
James : " Don't you think that he changed his style a little? "
Otto : " Ah... You thought so too. It does feel different. "
Gerrad smiled.
" No, it is exactly the same. Just looks different. Because he is not swinging it like before. "
Otto's eyes widened.
" I understand what you mean. Looks like after so many years he decided to stop running."
James sighed.
" Looks like we are getting old,'' he said.
"We could not realize it when he exchanged blows with us. "
Gerrad : " Don't worry about it. It did not change that much.
His sword still holds some doubts, that is why we did not realize."
Otto : " However, it is a fact that there is a change. The river has finally started flowing again. "
James : " What do you think that woman will think of this? "
Otto : " James don't bring it up. She is a headache."
James sighed.
The battle of endurance between the two girls and Carseain was won by him.
Belle and Elle were on the ground.
Elle : " Geez, Captain. Go easy on us."
Belle : " We're frail little girls, ya know!"
Carseain : ' Our Knightage sure is something. They speak to me in a formal way usually but they forget about everything once they run out of gas.
Nevertheless, I need to correct this way of thinking.'
" Belle, Elle. Listen up!"
He yelled.
Belle : ' Huh?! What happened? Did he get annoyed at us?'
Elle : ' Oh, is it because we spoke casually to him? Damn, I forgot he's noble.'
"I will never go easy on you as long as you hold those buttons."
"Eh?!"
"Eh?!"
" Those silver buttons are the proof that before a woman, man, young, old, human or a beast you are a Knight.
An Esselgarde Knight.
I don't know what made you say such things but you are worthy of that button and that button is only held by those who are strong. "
Belle, Elle and the others were silent.
They felt acknowledged by the person who they thought lived in a different world.
"Ah, those were 'her' words."
Gerrard mumbled.
Belle and Elle kneeled to him.
" Thank you for your guidance, Captain."
Having said that, they fell trying to cover their face.
"Oh, but you can be weaker than me because I'm too strong. Don't get too depressed if you get beaten by me."
Carseain smirked.
Kay and Len tried to help them up.
Len : "Why are your eyes red?"
Kay : " Hey, where are you crying because you lost to that monster? Don't do that, he himself narcissistically admitted that he is too strong for us."
Len : 'Stupid!'
Carseain : ' Dumbass.'
Elle : ' Airhead. '
Belle : ' Block head '
Kay : ' My ears are itchy. Why does it feel like someone is cursing me? '
Len sighed.
' This bullhead really thinks that these predatory women cried because they lost in some spar...
Is he deaf ?! Didn't he hear what the Captain said?
Even if he was oblivious to that incident where a stupid man questioned their capabilities to wield swords as an Esselgarde Knights just because they were women and got his ass whooped.
He still should have picked it up with the Captain's words.
Stupid blockhead.'
Kay and Len had then sat down near Lina.
They both watched their Captain fight.
Carseain went his way looking for some more survivors with open eyes.
"Oh Henry, you up for round three?"
Henry : " But I guess it's around round 150 for you, captain?"
Carseain smirked.
"How nice of you to worry about me but that just means you're confident, right?"
Another one joined in.
"Please don't forget about me."
" I guess it's round four for you, Sen."
Carseain knocked him out in one go and continued,
"Also the fourth knock-out...
This kid really needs to train."
He mumbled.
Elle : "Ha...who is he calling a kid?
Sen may be a little weak but he's still two years older."
Belle : " And twenty times more spirited..."
They both laughed.
Elle sighed as she looked at him.
"Belle, do you still remember those bastards?"