"Clang! Clang!"
As dusk settled over the Pedror Manor, Lynn struggled to fend off the relentless onslaught of the young girl before him, wooden sword in hand. Despite being mentally prepared, Ivina's ferocity was far beyond Lynn's expectations. Each strike was aimed with lethal precision, targeting his vital points—this felt less like practice and more like a battle to the death.
By the twenty-first exchange, the brunette executed a horizontal slash, disarming Lynn and sending his sword clattering to the ground.
They had fought several rounds, nearly an hour of intense combat, and both were at their limits. Beneath their clothing, arms and shoulders bore bruises and welts from the repeated blows, their stamina nearly exhausted.
Lynn, who was not adept at close combat, ultimately failed to break Lott's record. The observing Pedror was indifferent to the result; he could see that Ivina's swordsmanship had improved once again, making Lynn's defeat inevitable.
What pleased him more was that Lynn had finally heeded his advice. He no longer held back during their bouts and fought with a sharper edge.
"Enough, let's call it a day," Baron Pedror waved a hand, halting the fight, and a rare smile crossed his usually grim face.
"Not bad, my son. You're finally getting the hang of it. If you keep practicing like this, you'll have a seventy percent chance of passing the examination."
This year, the knight's exam had two additional slots, which meant the standards would likely be lower. Given the significant donations he had made to the church, Pedror was confident he could pull some strings when the time came.
Feeling a bit more at ease, Pedror then turned to Ivina.
"Ivina, your swordsmanship is excellent, but it's time to pause and focus on other areas."
"The Duke of Nordland's son is indeed obsessed with swordplay, but if you appear too dominant, it could lead to dissatisfaction..."
Pedror earnestly advised Ivina on how to use their shared interests to capture the Duke's son's attention while carefully maintaining his fragile ego.
Pedror was quite satisfied with his daughter. Not only was she strikingly beautiful, but she also possessed exceptional talent in swordsmanship. If this could serve as a stepping stone to marry the Duke's heir, it might be the chance to revive their family.
As Pedror spoke, Ivina bit her lip, her delicate face full of resentment and bitterness.
But Pedror, oblivious to his daughter's emotions, finished his guidance and took his leave.
Given the recent unrest caused by those devil-worshippers, many prominent figures had flocked to the harbor town—an excellent opportunity to make an impression!
Once the Baron was gone, Lynn cast a sympathetic glance at the brunette girl before him.
For a sixteen-year-old to have mastered such advanced swordsmanship, Ivina's dedication was undeniable. She was likely striving to earn her father's approval and change her fate.
Sadly, Pedror only saw his daughter as a tool to curry favor with the powerful.
Perhaps once I'm gone, Ivina's situation will improve, Lynn mused, as he put away his wooden sword. He was about to offer some comforting words, fulfilling his role as her brother.
He remembered that Lott's diary expressed concern for this sister.
But before he could speak, Ivina raised her head, her voice icy.
"Have you finally decided to strike against me, my brother?"
...
Later that night, as the full moon illuminated the sky, a bewildered Lynn returned to his room, led by a servant. He had spent the entire walk trying to decipher the meaning behind the girl's final words.
Who would have thought that the relationships in a mere barony could be so complex?
"Forget it, this isn't my problem," Lynn shook his head helplessly. Fortunately, he was only borrowing Lott's identity temporarily, not some family mediator; otherwise, this situation would be a real headache.
In comparison, he was more concerned with what Pedror had mentioned about the devil worshipper captured by the church.
Lynn couldn't be sure whether it was Johnny or White Dove who had been caught, or perhaps both of them.
But one thing was certain: Anthelk, who had suffered greatly at Lynn's hands, had prepared thoroughly. Three thousand guards were secretly stationed in and around the harbor town, likely in anticipation of his arrival.
In a few days, the church would likely announce a public execution of the devil worshipper on Monday, hoping to lure him into a trap.
Lynn shuddered at the thought of rushing into the church's ambush unprepared.
Just one volley from a thousand crossbows would turn him into a pincushion.
Breaking them out early was a good idea; he could use transformation magic and disguise techniques to infiltrate the place.
As long as he could identify the captive and their location within the prison, Lynn was confident he could stage a rescue...
Then, there was the matter of escaping the harbor town afterward.
The more Lynn thought about it, the more daunting it became. He wasn't truly Carl and had no emotional attachment to Johnny and the others, but after sharing life-and-death experiences, he felt compelled to help if he could.
"071, do you have anything that could help me take on three thousand elite soldiers?" Lynn asked in his mind.
In an instant, a long list appeared before his eyes.
[Dongfeng 180 Missiles, Plasma Railguns, Antimatter Bombs, High-Energy Lasers, Galaxy-Class Starships...]
"I only have a few days! Give me something realistic!" Lynn snapped. If he could get his hands on those, he'd have kicked the Pope off his throne and turned this dark world into a bright medieval utopia already.
After narrowing his options, the list shrunk to a few lines, and one image caught Lynn's eye. His mind flashed back to something he had seen in a harbor shop—how could he have forgotten?
After a moment's thought, Lynn's plan began to take shape. However, he knew he couldn't do it alone. He needed reliable allies.
Limping Lord...
The familiar name resurfaced in Lynn's mind. In this harbor town, he was the easiest ally to recruit. His deep ties with the sorcerers made him unlikely to betray.
Now, the remaining issue was how to coax that hidden old fox out of his den.