"That's right! I'm looking forward to that day. I can see your strong willpower, Jon. I truly believe you'll succeed!" Jason Liu spoke with genuine emotion, as if everything he said had already come true.
For the first time in his life, Jon felt someone truly believed in him. This touched him deeply, as he had often felt neglected. "Thank you, Lord Jason-East! I'll work even harder and make a difference."
Jason lightly patted Jon on the shoulder, smiling. "I believe in you! Also, I have a small favor to ask. You said you're good with a sword, right? I could use your help. I have five new guards who don't even know how to hold a sword. They need some training."
Jason looked at Jon hopefully. "Could you help me with that?"
Jon was taken aback. He could hardly believe it. "Me? Teach your guards? I... I'm still learning from Master Rodrik. I don't think I'm good enough to teach..."
Jason gently interrupted him. "No, Jon, you can do it! Just teach them the basics—what you've learned from Rodrik. It's more than enough for now. I'm still new here and haven't found a proper instructor for them."
He placed his hands on Jon's shoulders and said seriously, "Please, Jon. Don't say no. I consider you a friend. Don't you want to be friends with me?"
Jon quickly shook his head, feeling flustered. "Of course I want to be your friend, but I'm just worried I won't teach them well."
Jason smiled. "Don't worry. My guards are complete beginners, so anything you show them will be a huge improvement. Once I find a proper instructor, they can continue learning. What do you say?"
Jon hesitated for a moment, but the genuine trust in Jason's eyes made it hard to refuse. He finally agreed to help train the guards.
Jason then called over his five guards—Miccan, Dick, Barlow, Barron, and Bud. He pushed them towards Jon and said, "From now on, Jon will be your swordsmanship teacher. You'll learn from him, and you'd better take it seriously. If Jon tells me you're slacking off, I'll fire you. Understood?"
"Yes, my lord!" they all responded quickly. Even though they were confused about why Jon, the illegitimate son of the Lord of Winterfell, was now their teacher, none of them dared to question Jason's orders. They didn't want to lose their jobs with such good pay.
The guards all bowed respectfully to Jon. "Teacher Jon!"
Jon, embarrassed and flustered, waved his hands. "No need to call me that. I'm just here to teach you the basics..."
Jason laughed and encouraged him. "Don't be modest, Jon. Teach them everything you've learned from Master Rodrik. Be strict, they need it."
Jon smiled, feeling a bit more confident. "Alright, I'll teach them what I know."
Jason then said, "If you have time, you can start today."
Jon, excited by the trust Jason had placed in him, eagerly replied, "I'm free all day. Let's start now!"
"That's perfect!" Jason said, smiling. He led Jon and the guards to an open area nearby.
Jon drew his sword and began teaching the five guards with a serious expression. Jason watched for a bit, then decided to leave them to their training. He smiled as Jon scolded the inexperienced guards, showing that he was already taking his role as an instructor seriously.
After checking in on them, Jason headed back to his shop. He left Jon to continue training the guards, who were already exhausted from the intense session.
Shortly after, Robb Stark entered the shop with his siblings, Bernard the manager, and four Winterfell guards.
"Welcome, Director Bernard!" Jason greeted, noticing the young, handsome men and women with him. He immediately realized that Lena had been right this morning.
"Hello, Lord Jason-East!" Director Bernard replied, nodding to him. He introduced the Stark children to Jason.
"This is Robb Stark, the eldest son and heir of the Lord of Winterfell."
Robb, slightly taller and more muscular than Jon, had curly black hair and gray eyes. Though not as handsome as Jon, Robb had a commanding presence, fit for the heir of House Stark.
"Hello, Lord Jason-East!" Robb greeted politely.
Jason smiled and replied, "Good day,Master Robb!"
"Please, call me Robb. I prefer speaking as friends," Robb said with a warm smile, making it clear he had been well-educated in noble manners.
Jason returned the smile. "And you can call me Jason. It's an honor to be friends with you, Robb."
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