At the last moment.
It was a fleeting moment.
Jonathan clearly saw how Roman counterattacked.
'Nonsense.'
Just one step.
If you step back, you will be hit by the resilient wooden sword, and even if you fall sideways, you will not be able to escape from the domain of the sword.
Auras are explosive powers.
Aura's eruption is specialized for instantaneous power, and the longer the distance the power can be transmitted, the more disadvantageous it is for blocking.
So, of course, he thought that Roman, who was only a normal person, it would be dangerous, but the result that unfolded was different than expected.
Destroyed the area of attack.
By taking one step forward, he made his opponent unable to fully use his power, and while turning his face slightly, he boldly avoided the attack in front of his eyes.
It really was a small difference.
Even in a situation where his face might be smashed, Roman managed to subdue Chris with an unshakable posture.
He was astonished.
He could not accept the reality in front of him.
'Until now, I didn't know anything about Master Roman.'
Roman is an idiot.
'Since I have personally taught him, it is true that I had negative feelings about him giving up without even making an effort.'
However, Roman was different.
Roman not only had the temperament of a resilient person who never gave up, but also had very solid basics as a swordsman in the first place.
A counterattack that knocks down the opponent in a single moment is not a lucky punch.
Only when you have enough basics and the ability to put your thoughts into action can you succeed in a number of matches that others think is ridiculous.
A solid defense.
A flowing attack.
It was certain.
Roman's skill was not something that could be completed in one or two years, but a little deeper years had melted into it.
'Just how? He was someone who only threw tantrums until just a month ago! These aren't the skills of someone who had only trained a year or two. When did you grow up like this? There's no way such growth is possible.'
He recollected himself.
In fact, even just a month ago, he saw a drunken Roman wandering the streets.
How pathetic.
His notoriety as Dmitry's idiot grew worse when he saw him chanting loudly.
A pathetic human being.
Obviously, it was in Jonathan's memory.
But now, starting with the Blood Fang incident, he even defeated Chris, the Aura Knight.
That was then.
Baron Romero, who was watching Dalian together, said with a bewildered expression.
"Jonathan Knight Commander."
"Yes, Lord."
"How the hell did this happen? Deputy Knights Commander Chris is the two-star Aura Knight that Dmitry is proud of."
He was the same.
Baron Romero needed an explanation.
He wanted to hear from Jonathan's mouth as to why his son had grown so fast.
A moment's hesitation.
He looked at Roman and Baron Romero alternately with complicated eyes, and finally gave the most common-sense answer after contemplating.
"Don't be surprised, my Lord. It seems that Master Roman is a genius in swordsmanship."
Roman caught his breath.
His ears were ringing.
When he raised his hand and touched the painful area, blood was dripping from the thinly cut wound.
'It's pathetic.'
Chris.
He wasn't a bad opponent.
He knew how to aggressively push his opponent, and his eyes to read the flow of the fight were quite sharp.
The problem is.
'It's not bad by the standards of this world.'
Having dealt with the Blood Fang crew, including Ben Miles, he knew that it was the level of strength.
If it was Chris' skill, he would wipe out dozens of them.
'He seemed to be the strongest of all the people I had met, except for Jonathan.'
But what about Baek Joong-hyuk's standards?
The lowest (lowest).
The third rate martial warriors seemed to be stronger than Chris.
The aura eruption at the end was threatening enough, but it was sloppy compared to the way the Moorim used it.
'It was a pretty sloppy eruption of energy. So much so that I don't understand why it's used like that. I think it's the power of mana that Hans talked about, but the world uses it in a different way than we do.'
He was curious.
He wanted to find out about it.
In the future world, it was necessary to know exactly what kind of power they were using.
But then.
"Ah ha ha ha ha."
Baron Romero's laughter was heard.
Hearing Jonathan's answer, he showed a genuinely happy face when he heard that his son was a genius.
"My son, our eldest son, is a genius in swordsmanship. Captain Jonathan, are you really sure about that?"
"Yes. No other reason can explain the growth of Master Roman. In the meantime, it seems that I have not been able to recognize the true face of Master Roman because of my low ability. Master Roman is definitely a genius."
"Oh, really? He is truly a genius."
His face brightened up.
Baron Romero looked at Roman and motioned for him to come closer.
"Son."
"Yes."
"I've never been in a better mood than today. I am very proud of you As the captain of the Knights Templar Jonathan said, I want to applaud the fact that my son, Roman, accomplished something by himself, not just because he is a genius in swordsmanship. If there's anything you want, tell me now. Reward and punishment (賞罰) should be certain. For the sake of our son, I will provide a special reward for you."
Romero Dmitry.
It was his true form.
He was angry at his son's departure, but he was a son fool who was recognized by everyone.
He was also not good at raising children, so he couldn't express his feelings properly, but he truly loved Roman.
A reward.
The plate was laid
Usually, he would smile at his father's prize, but Roman's reaction was different.
To be rewarded.
It was a familiar life for Roman, and the moment Baron Romero mentioned the award, something came to mind.
"I am aware that my enlistment in the military is inevitable as my marriage to the Lawrence family has failed. My two younger brothers, who left for the capital, can't afford their military service, so I'll have to leave for the battlefield in six months. That's why I ask you, give me the power to choose the troops I'm going to take with me. And I would like to support the amount generated in the process as well."
It was straightforward.
Baron Romero looked startled at the fairly specific proposal.
"Huh."
Military service obligations.
It was a sad reality just thinking about it.
As Cairo kingdom is a small country, it always had dangerous skirmishes at the border, most of the times with Kronos empire.
That is an unavoidable reality.
Married nobles can be temporarily exempted from military service, but Roman's view of accepting reality has changed.
Roman's life.
What you can do as a father is to help him soar.
"Okay, whatever you desire. I will grant full authority to military service."
"And I have one last request."
"Tell me. If you show yourself the way you are now, this father can do anything for his son."
Was it because expectations were low?
Baron Romero's faith was blind.
Roman smiled lightly and looked at Chris lying on the floor.
"I want to learn aura in the future. So, for private tutoring, please assign that prosecutor I dealt with."
Now is the time to get to know the world a little more.
* * *
How much time has passed
Chris opened his eyes.
As the blue sky was pouring down his eyes, he burst into tears without realizing it.
"Wow, that's really embarrassing."
Defeat.
It was an embarrassing reality.
The fact that he was defeated by no one else and by Dmitry's idiot, he wanted to hide his face even in a mouse hole.
But what to do?
That it is reality.
The fact that he was defeated by Roman did not change, and when he woke up and saw his own reflection in the mirror, it was embarrassing.
It was Chris, who boasted a good enough appearance enough to be called a handsome man, but in the mirror there was a jerk (?) with two missing front teeth.
A situation as desperate as defeat. He hurriedly checked the mouth and found the broken tooth, but there was no way to put it back in place.
"Haaah, what should i do?"
It was a moment of serious concern.
The problem wasn't just that.
Unable to get out of the abyss of despair, an order was given to him that was like a clear blue sky.
"Pardon?!"
"I know how you feel. But Chris, this is the command of the Lord."
"Captain of the Knights, no, Master. Isn't this a bit odd? Now that I have lost to Master Roman and have become a jerk with missing front teeth, are you saying that I should teach Master Roman to even use aura? This is not real. Even if my head is blown away as a punishment for protest, this is unacceptable."
He was lying flat on the floor.
The will of the scribe.
He didn't want to see Roman's face again.
It was a bad relationship in the first place, so losing to Roman felt more humiliating than ever.
Jonathan said, "I didn't make any offers to you."
"...."
"Come and understand exactly how he has changed under the pretext of teaching Roman. If you handle this matter well, I will pass on to you the secret skills that I have been putting off until now."
"Are you serious?"
"Yes."
Chris jumped up from his seat.
The secret to turning Jonathan into a 3-star Aura Knight.
Chris, who has always longed for this chance, could not refuse Jonathan's offer.
"I won't be tolerating any of his fusses."
An annoying voice.
Finally, Chris crossed a river of no return.
* * *
Next day.
Chris met Roman.
But, Roman laughed.
For a moment, Chris opened his eyes.
The two didn't talk at all, just looked at each other's faces, and the sudden smile was very clear.
'Hey, you fucker!'
Missing front teeth.
A wind blew between them.
Chris already regrets accepting the offer, but in order to achieve his goal, he has to endure something he hates.
Calming down his boiling anger, Chris said with a nonchalant face.
"Now, let me explain about the aura."
"As a branch of mana, it means the power used by knights. If wizards store mana in circles, knights basically spread mana throughout the body..."
"...The inventor of the aura was Emperor Alexander, who is called the harbinger of the age of knights. Unlike magicians, he was the first to figure out how to strengthen the human body by spreading mana throughout his body. The aura is the power that instantaneously releases this mana. Mana, which is normally spread throughout the body, is expelled in an instant according to the user's will, thereby demonstrating a powerful force."
"....."
Roman's attitude was serious.
He didn't take offense at Chris' explanation, nor did he show a playful attitude.
When he actually took the class, he showed a serious side, and Chris's resentment subsided to a certain extent.
"Actually, it is not important to know the history of the aura. Mana is a power that only the Chosen can use, and one in thousand can walk the path of a knight, and one in ten thousnad can walk the path of a magician. So it is important to check those qualities first. The minimum requirement for an aura knight is to feel mana. It is usually at this stage that most people get frustrated. In my case, it took me half a year to feel mana, but in fact, even if it takes a year, if you only feel mana, it's above average. So, it's a realm of talent."
It was a statement with a bit of arrogance.
He was quite proud of himself.
As Jonathan's disciple, when he felt mana for the first time in half a year, there was an uproar in Dmitry that a genius had appeared.
Chris.
He was such a person.
However, Roman did not give him the reaction he wanted.
"1 year. It means to judge the possibilities in it."
"Yes. If you don't feel mana for a year, it's actually right to give up the path of an Aura Knight."
"Then let's start by feeling mana first. Can you explain the way you experienced it?"
"Of course."
Chris was a little proud of himself.
But it was fine.
'When you start mana training, it will be clear who is the winner, you or me.'
'Even if Master Roman is a swordsman genius, mana talent is a different matter. This training will give you a taste of the harshness of reality. And as the years go by without feeling mana, you will realize how great a person I am. Heh heh heh, thinking about it, this wasn't a bad offer.'
He was excited.
In the past, he has seen many people who were desperate for mana training.
Roman is no different.
Chris hid his intentions and taught him how to feel mana.
"The mana training method..."
Chris' teaching.
Roman gradually began to immerse himself in his own world.