Chereads / Royal Power: The Path to Ascension / Chapter 6 - Training the Ranks

Chapter 6 - Training the Ranks

"Did you not eat? Get your spirits up, all of you!"

"Work up a sweat in training, and you'll bleed less in battle. Why are you all so clueless…"

Under the scorching sun, Reyalu scolded the group of sweating young men relentlessly.

Since completing the squire selection, this scene had become a regular occurrence, and everyone had long since grown accustomed to it.

Knights are born for war, and it's only a matter of time before they step onto the battlefield. As squires, they must keep up. It's not just about killing enemies, but when the time comes, they must also serve as human shields.

For the sake of his own life, Reyalu put all his effort into applying every bit of training knowledge he had in his mind.

After three months of hard work, the ten men in front of him had become somewhat competent in their training. Even the usually stern Baron Redman had acknowledged Reyalu's achievements, openly stating that Reyalu had the potential to become a general.

Unfortunately, potential is always just potential. Having suffered the harsh realities of society, Reyalu did not think much of his own abilities.

No matter how others evaluated him, Reyalu never relaxed his training of the men under him.

If one were to look around, they would notice that Baron Redman was observing from a distance, accompanied by his three young sons, perhaps learning or secretly copying Reyalu's methods.

In this isolated world, knowledge is incredibly scarce, especially military knowledge, which is hard to come by. People have no choice but to slowly experiment and learn by trial and error.

The scattered notes from elders are the most valuable inheritance of the nobility.

The reason why the great nobility can maintain their advantage is largely due to their monopoly on knowledge.

The training methods that Reyalu thought nothing of were considered priceless by Baron Redman. Too embarrassed to directly ask his son for the knowledge, Redman chose to quietly observe and take notes.

This, however, made life difficult for his three sons, who, at their mischievous age and spoiled by their mother, did not realize how valuable this knowledge was. Baron Redman's efforts were destined to be in vain.

Especially Layseul, who now glared at Reyalu with resentment. If Baron Redman's attention were not elsewhere, he would surely receive a scolding or worse.

After a long hesitation, Layseul could no longer hold his tongue and said, "Father, I've completed my basic knight training, and as for the Life Essence…"

Before he could finish, Baron Redman's face darkened, and he shot him a fierce glare without uttering a word.

This only made Layseul more uneasy. He had paid a heavy price for this Life Essence, and if he didn't get it, it would be a huge loss.

Desperate, he could only hope his two younger brothers would speak up on his behalf. Unfortunately, noble children grow up fast, and even though they were brothers, they now saw each other as competitors.

Family resources are limited—what one brother gets, the other must forgo. This is a fact that cannot be avoided. Layseul had made a serious mistake, and if he were kicked out, it would benefit everyone.

Not throwing him under the bus was already a sign of brotherly affection. After a brief exchange of glances with Layseul, the two little boys silently turned their eyes away in tacit understanding.

This scene happened to fall under Baron Redman's watchful gaze. However, it wasn't enough to move him.

The world of nobility is brutal—if you don't fight and scheme, you cannot survive in this world where the strong devour the weak.

The qualities of a knight: humility, honesty, compassion, bravery, justice, sacrifice, honor, and soul.

But the survival rules for nobles are: self-interest, hypocrisy, utilitarianism, selfishness, and rationality... all necessary skills.

Only after survival is secured do the noble virtues emerge: integrity, ethics, and a sense of mission...

What cannot be obtained is always the best. What people praise most is often what they lack most in real life.

"Don't get distracted, pay close attention to Reyalu's training. It will be beneficial for your future development."

Baron Redman said earnestly.

After all, these are his sons, and he couldn't be completely cold-hearted. In his eyes, Layseul was putting the cart before the horse. Instead of fixating on something that wasn't his, it would be better to seize the chance to learn more.

In fact, after discovering Reyalu's talent for training, Baron Redman had considered letting him train an elite force.

However, their family wasn't wealthy enough to support a standing army. The only armed force in the entire barony was the castle's guard, a mere fifty men.

Since their numbers were small, the focus had to be on individual combat ability. Furthermore, the guards and an army are not the same thing; copying army tactics would only backfire.

In a sense, training soldiers is a luxury for small nobles. Only by aligning with the king or large nobility could such skills be useful.

Unaware of his father's calculations, Reyalu continued to train his subordinates with vigor. In this world, where extraordinary powers exist, ordinary people have little chance of competing.

Even Reyalu, as a junior knight, could easily defeat a dozen or more strong men. This is the fundamental reason why the noble class can maintain its dominance over the world.

Due to their monopoly on resources and the solidarity within the noble class, the Life Essence never leaks out, making it nearly impossible for commoners to become knights. For ordinary people, the only path to extraordinary power is becoming a warrior.

Even with similar extraordinary abilities, knights in the same realm completely outclass warriors. It's not just because of their mounts, but mainly because they have awakened the Seed of Life.

Although Reyalu doesn't fully understand what the Seed of Life is, he has certainly experienced the benefits of having awakened it.

The most noticeable benefit is the improvement in overall physical fitness. After each intense training session, the Seed of Life releases energy to repair any bodily damage.

In contrast, warriors have it much harder. Without the Seed of Life to aid them, they often suffer from hidden injuries accumulated through regular training, not to mention the wounds sustained on the battlefield.

Long-lived knights are not uncommon, but long-lived warriors are rare—most don't live past fifty. The shorter lifespan naturally limits their strength development, and strong warriors are few and far between across the continent.

As for the mysterious mages, that is Reyalu's blind spot in knowledge. The few notes in the family library provide little insight into them.

Other obscure professions are even more irrelevant—ordinary people might never encounter them in their lifetime, and Reyalu has no way to learn about them.

If it were just about training squires, a simple training regimen would suffice. There would be no need for such intense effort.

However, his restless heart refuses to let him simply "survive" for now. Despite telling himself to wait, his body remains honest in diligently building his ranks.

The first pot of gold in life is always the hardest to earn. At present, there are only ten people available. Though the number is small, it's still better than having none at all.