In the afternoon, Duwei arrived at the military camp adjacent to the castle. The camp no longer housed just the three hundred guards who originally protected the castle.
In light of Duwei's recent abduction by the mages, the family had taken further measures to bolster the castle's security. A light infantry regiment had already been stationed there, and the private army of the Rolyn family, responsible for safeguarding the castle and surrounding areas, now numbered one thousand soldiers.
Duwei entered the camp confidently on horseback, and Sir Robert immediately appeared, accompanied by a group of men.
Due to the abduction incident, Sir Robert had been demoted by one rank upon his return. However, it was largely a matter of formality, and he still commanded his cavalry unit. By the end of the year, he was likely to find a pretext to be reinstated to his former position.
As Duwei made his entrance, all eyes were drawn to his steed.
This horse, carefully selected as the finest in the entire castle, had long been the object of envy even for Sir Robert himself.
But now, Duwei's magnificent white-maned stallion was… tailless!
Seeing Duwei seated atop this tailless creature, and seemingly in high spirits, Sir Robert felt a chill run down his spine. What was the young master planning?
"Dear Sir Robert," Duwei said with an innocent smile, "I've merely come to see what the young men of the family are up to."
"Master, it's still spring. The spring drills have just concluded, and the men are in the process of resting. The cavalry is currently handling the patrols. May I ask, what is it you wish to observe?" Sir Robert asked, sensing something was afoot. He paused, then, suspecting Duwei was merely seeking diversion, ventured, "Perhaps you wish to go hunting? If so, I'll gather a group of cavalrymen to accompany you."
To Robert, it seemed the young master, confined to the castle, was simply looking for some entertainment.
"Hunting?" Duwei replied, a broad grin on his face. "No, I'm not here for hunting. Today, I've come to introduce a new game I've just invented!"
Duwei dismounted and retrieved something from his saddle. It was a small cloth bundle.
Unwrapping it, he revealed a leather ball.
Ah, yes—this ball was quite the investment.
To save costs, Duwei had opted not to purchase cowhide. Instead, he returned to his room and selected one of his own leather jackets. The maid, summoned by the steward, had sewn it into a round shape—an easy task, and done with great care.
As for the stuffing…
This world lacked rubber, so it was impossible to create an inflatable ball. To retain some bounce, Duwei had to resort to softer fillings. And what better than horsehair?
Thus, Duwei sacrificed a leather jacket and the tail of his prized steed, and fashioned a ball.
As he worked, several of the servants shot him disapproving glances, but Duwei was unconcerned, his mind set on one thing: earning a little spending money.
"Robert, look! This is my new game... I call it… football."
"Each team consists of eleven players, with one goalkeeper. The goalkeeper is the only one allowed to use their hands. All other players must refrain from using any part of their arms to touch the ball, or it's a foul! The objective is to work together as a team and kick the ball into the opposing team's goal while preventing them from scoring in your own," Duwei explained the basic rules of football.
The rules were simple, and soon over a hundred soldiers understood them.
The makeshift training ground was marked with two saddles as goals.
Duwei himself took the field, selecting Sir Robert and a few other cavalrymen who had accompanied him on past excursions to form one team, while a group of officers formed the other team.
At first, the game was a spectacle of clumsy mistakes. The officers of the Rolyn family, unfamiliar with football, often committed fouls or, in a bid to kick the ball farther, inadvertently kicked it so hard that it shattered. One unlucky cavalryman had his horse's tail sacrificed to repair the ball.
As one of the knights dribbled the ball forward, his opponents, eager to stop him, frequently resorted to illegal tactics… Duwei could hardly believe his eyes!
It was not uncommon for one player to break through midfield, only for his opponents to gang up on him and, instead of kicking the ball, aim their feet directly at him! What followed were impromptu brawls as each side engaged in a chaotic mix of martial arts and football. On one side, magical energy crackled, while on the other, knights displayed swift, precise moves. The sight was, indeed, entertaining!
It was clear that the Rolyn officers were highly skilled in martial arts, with formidable physiques and a solid grasp of combat techniques. After a few laps, Duwei's stamina faltered, so he swapped out for a substitute and took on the role of referee.
After issuing several red cards for turning the game into a brawl, the remaining soldiers finally managed to get the game under control.
Duwei also demonstrated a few tricks, including ball control and juggling, and even took a free-kick from a distance. By the end of the afternoon, the soldiers had more or less grasped the rules of football.
They even learned more advanced techniques, such as "offside," "penalty kicks," and the distinction between "direct" and "indirect" free kicks.
By evening, the most observant soldier had even learned how to simulate a dive in the penalty area!
Although his performance was rather unconvincing, Duwei couldn't help but admire him, awarding him a penalty kick. It reminded him of his favorite football star from his past life, the infamous "king of dives," Inzaghi.
The penalty was met with loud jeers from the soldiers, who mockingly called it a "bad call."
By the end of the day, every soldier in the camp had fallen in love with this new sport.
Indeed, the world's "most popular sport" was truly deserving of its title!
That evening, Duwei returned to his private quarters. Solskjaer had already retired for the night, and the building was now entirely his.
He had a few guards posted outside to ensure no one disturbed him.
With a sense of tranquility, Duwei ascended to the third floor and stood on the balcony, gazing up at the sky.
"What were you really doing all day?" Semel, perched on the railing, her legs crossed and white as snow, suddenly broke the silence, distracting Duwei.
Turning his head to the side, Duwei sighed. "Making money."
"Making money?" Semel burst into laughter. She had been by Duwei's side all day, but only he could see her. After a moment of laughter, she clearly didn't believe him. "You lost a leather jacket, cut off your horse's tail, spent the day sweating, got two outfits dirty, and ended up covered in dust. And you call that 'making money'?"
Duwei rolled his eyes in exasperation. "What do you know? Just wait and watch."
It was already midnight, and the sky was clear, with not a cloud in sight. The stars glittered like diamonds. Duwei glanced at his watch. "Is it time to begin?"
"Training in Star Magic is not particularly difficult... but the hardest part is the beginning." When she mentioned Star Magic, Semele's tone grew far more serious. It was then that Duwei noticed how her expression seemed to evoke the memory of a great female astrologer.
Duwei took his seat, as instructed by Semele.
"Feel it with your heart."
"Feel what?" Duwei blinked in confusion.
"The stars!" Semele replied softly. "Feel the power of the stars." After a pause, she added, "Of course, in the beginning, you won't be able to feel the entire sky. I want you to focus on just one star. Sit down, and then use all of your magical senses to attune yourself... feel everything that star responds with. This is difficult, and it's not something you'll grasp in a single night."
Semele then whispered an incantation to Duwei. She asked him to silently repeat the words while choosing one star to focus on.
"Which one should I choose?"
"The largest and brightest one," she replied.
Duwei froze. "The largest and brightest? Good heavens, there are so many stars. How do I know which one is the biggest and brightest?"
Semele's smile became mysterious. She slowly raised her hand and pointed toward the sky. Beneath the moonlight, her smile was enchanting, carrying a subtle air of mystery. Her gaze was serene, almost unfathomable.
She was pointing at... the moon.
Duwei's heart skipped a beat.
The moon! It was the moon!
He stared at Semele in astonishment. The great astrologer... did she know this as well? According to Duwei's previous life, the Sun was a star, and the Moon, Earth's satellite, was the largest because of its size and proximity to the planet. In truth, even magicians in this world classified the Sun, Moon, and stars into three distinct categories.
But no one knew that, in fact, the Sun and the Moon could also be considered stars in their own right.
"Feel it with your heart," Semele continued. "Feel any fluctuations. Even if it's just the faintest tremor of your soul. This process will take time. It could be a day... or even a year. If you can overcome this step, only then will you have a chance to learn Star Magic. If not... I'm afraid it simply means you lack the talent for it."
With that, Semele yawned, casually sitting beside him, watching Duwei as he closed his eyes and faced the heavens in deep meditation.
At first, Duwei tried to use traditional magical methods to sense the stars.
After developing an additional "antenna" on his head, Duwei's magical sensitivity became remarkably powerful. He could even feel the air currents and the flow of wind in the sky. He could sense the river flowing several miles away, even hearing the sound of rushing water.
But the stars, the moon...
They were simply too far away!
Too far, far beyond reach!
Duwei stretched his mental energy as far as he could, but the further his mind reached into the sky, the more faint his senses became. Even when he exerted all his effort, the best he could manage was the faint sound of the wind high above him. That was his limit!
The moon?
Duwei, being reincarnated, knew well the staggering distance between himself and the moon. He didn't believe for a moment that his mental energy could span that astronomical gap.
Clearly, on this first night, Duwei had failed.
"I can't give you specific guidance," Semele sighed. "This is something you must comprehend on your own. Once you understand it, you'll simply know. If you don't understand, no amount of explanation will help."
Fortunately, Duwei did not feel defeated. After all, Semele had said it wouldn't be easy. And Duwei… well, he had plenty of time. Time, after all, was the one thing he had in abundance.
By morning, though he hadn't slept a wink, Duwei's mental energy was more vigorous than ever. His body felt rejuvenated, and he showed no signs of fatigue.
He vaguely sensed that the incantation Semele had given him seemed to have a powerful effect on enhancing his mental energy. It was far more effective than conventional meditation for magic.
This increase wasn't just in the quantity of his mental energy... no, it felt as if his mental power had been refined, purified into something far more potent...
By the time morning came, Duwei returned to the military camp. Today, he had gathered even more soldiers... almost every man who was not on patrol had come to the training ground.
Yesterday, after only a few hours, all the soldiers who had participated in the football game had developed a fondness for the sport.
And today, Duwei had a new twist to the game.
"I'm putting up 100 gold coins," Duwei announced with a smile. "You can form any teams you like, and then sign up to compete! Teams will be drawn at random... the losers are eliminated, while the winners continue to compete against other teams! The last team standing will receive the 100 gold coin prize."
Though Robert felt that this football game was somewhat frivolous, he couldn't deny that it was harmless to the soldiers. At the very least, the running would help improve their stamina. Moreover, with the spring drills recently finished, the soldiers were in a recovery phase, and the training wasn't as intense.
Additionally, Duwei, being the esteemed young master, had his enthusiasm, and it wouldn't do to refuse him.
The deeper reason was that Robert, too, found himself enjoying the game.
A suggestion from the most esteemed young master? The officers wouldn't dare oppose it. As for the soldiers... they certainly had no objections, especially with the prize money on the line.
To ensure the tournament went smoothly and the soldiers maintained their energy, Duwei had intentionally shortened the length of each match. In formal competitions, a game lasted ninety minutes, but here, Duwei decided the matches would only be half that length.
Before long, several camp clerks had been tasked with registering the teams. Eager soldiers, some of whom formed teams based on their camaraderie, others simply choosing their own squads, eagerly signed up.
The hustle and bustle continued throughout the morning, and by the end of the day, there were forty teams officially registered!
With an average of fifteen players per team (eleven starters and four substitutes), a total of six hundred soldiers had joined the competition—meaning over half the camp's soldiers were taking part.
Fortunately, the training field was large enough, and there were also expansive forests and meadows surrounding it, so space was no concern.
Duwei personally drew the teams at random, and thus, the first annual Roland Family Football Cup was underway...
Due to the limited space, the first round of matches had to be staggered, and by the afternoon, the twenty remaining teams had been decided.
Having watched most of the games, Duwei, aided by his strong magical memory and mental prowess, had gathered plenty of information: which teams were the fittest, which players had a knack for diving, which teams showed more natural talent, and which ones were weaker.
He had committed every detail to memory.
Before the next round of matches began, Duwei smiled and proposed, "Watching others play is fun and all, but how about we bet on it?"