Day 96, Year 3000.
"The practical application of your ideas is the hard part of this."
For the first time, Gawain was able to witness how a sword and shield were meant to be used together.
"When to attack and when to defend."
She raised her shield at the front and then moved it back to strike the air with her sword.
"Patience. Unlike your opponents, you have two ways to defend and attack."
A strong push.
"You can create distance with your shield."
Another quick switch and strike.
"And you can threaten your opponent at close range with a sword."
"Aren't you supposed to be completing your assignments?"
Gawain asked the one question that he shouldn't have.
"Fine then. Learn on your own."
She forcefully handed him the sword and shield and left the training ground in anger.
"Moody."
He took his stance and got ready to practice.
"Creating space."
Close combat.
"Taking you by surprise."
'Slash'
A strong swing from the side.
"A rough estimate of the distance."
He quickly moved forward.
"Defending blows."
While moving forward, he quickly moved his hand to cover all of the predicted attacks.
"One true strike."
'Slash'
An overhead swing, forcing his opponent to defend.
'Final blow.'
He pushed his shield with a strong effort to take advantage after forcing the enemy into a corner.
"Clap, clap, clap."
He turned around.
"You have been doing quite well for yourself."
'Half a foot taller than me.'
The red uniform made him pause his training and give full attention to the person that was in front of him.
"I thank you for your praise."
He lowered his sword and shield.
"Do you know how I am?"
A blonde-haired red-knight who had a dominating persona and an air of pressure around him.
"I am sorry. But I don't think I have seen you before."
He would surely remember someone like him.
A calm grin formed on his lips.
"The master of the Ares house, William."
He maintained his expression and said,
"It is a pleasure to meet you, Sir William."
Joan had warned him to be on guard against this guy.
"You don't seem shocked."
"Am I supposed to be shocked?"
How was he any bigger than Arthur?
"I guess that is true."
He didn't overreact. Gawain was impressed.
"If you don't mind, respected sir, I would like to continue with my training."
'This boy is not going to convert so easily.'
William flashed another one of his trademark smiles and said,
"Before that, I would like to make a proposition to you."
He had been waiting for this chance for almost a week now.
"Declined."
He turned around to leave. This made William furious.
'You little-'
He grabbed his shoulder and said,
"Listen to my proposition first."
"I can see through your façade, Sir William."
He turned around with a serious expression.
"Oh? And what might that be?"
"Your influence is only limited to harassment."
William froze.
"Like a dog with no teeth, you are all bark and no bite."
Provocation.
"Disrespecting a senior? You could be expelled, you know?"
"Holding a junior hostage against their will. Even the dean isn't allowed to do that."
William furrowed his brows.
"Leave her house. Or else-"
"You will make my life miserable. Well, I hate to break it to you, but you are the last person I am going to take advice from."
The grip tightened.
"If I want, I can grind your right shoulder to a fine powder with my hand."
"A threat to physical harm? Another crime punishable by expulsion."
"I will still be a free man. You will be reduced to a cripple."
"According to the rules, anyone that is qualified to be a knight and receives a fatal blow on the premises under non-justified violence will be able to apply for a state-sponsored pension for the rest of their life. I will be a cripple, but I will be a wealthy cripple, laughing at the third-tier red knight that sacrificed his career for something as petty as this."
Regina didn't raise a coward. After a minute-long stare-down, William reluctantly released him.
"Good. Very good!"
At the end of the day, Gawain was right.
"Look forward to the humiliation that I have planned for you in the competition. I will never forget this."
Gawain smiled.
"I'll be looking forward to it. Expecting it to be at least on the level of the humiliation that you just faced."
He brought his index finger to his forehead and flicked it in salute.
"Your kindness is appreciated, Sir William."
William left the area with pure rage reflected in his eyes. Gawain raised his shield and sword to continue his training.