Chapter 18: Banquet (2)

"Ah, one more thing."

The knights' leader spoke up again.

"I am very sorry about the fight with our knight this time around. I am not blaming the landlord but he has been quite sensitive lately, you see."

"Eh?"

It appears he will explain about the details of the duel at the plaza between Kurena and the vice-commander. Gelda and Rodan closely listened in on what he had to say. He asked the mayor to listen to it as well and so he did the same.

"This is something that happened three whole years ago but, the son of a certain earl became a master swordsman."

(A master swordsman was born into an earl's family? Hmm? Were they not only supposed to be limited to barons and beneath?)

Allen recalled what he had read about the connection between one's rank and their occupation back when he was choosing the options in the real world. Master swordsman can only be born to a serf family, a commoner's family or a baron's family.

The leader continued—the son was given praise as the master swordsman and served the royal family. Certainly, his physique was well and there was nothing to criticize about his swordsmanship.  However, he didn't have the strength of a master swordsman when the situation needed him to be. Currently, there's one other master swordsman, Dobelg, and the difference in their skills was evident.

"O-oh."

Gelda threw in a response there, seeming to still not quite comprehend where the leader was going with this.

"And so, when they appraised him again, it was revealed that he was in fact just a normal swordsman, and not a master swordsman. The officials were astonished by this and investigated other nobles as well. It was found out that there were many others as well who had faked their talents, claiming to be a great magician or a master swordsman when they're only just a normal magician or swordsman. The situation had gotten quite rough."

(I see, so there were many nobles who wanted to decorate their family with these talents, eh?)

It seems the king was furious about this matter and handed down quite the heavy punishment. The earl who claimed his son was a master swordsman was ripped off his rank.

"Hearing that a master swordsman was found, he wanted us to make sure of it, you see. Even though the church's report did not seem to have any lies."

The royal family must be notified of the master swordsman. However, severe punishment has been given to people who faked talent just recently. It seems they also checked up on the church about this. Even then, the landlord was worried. This is the reason behind why they took so much time to investigate before sending over the Order of Knights to make sure once and for all.

And this explanation was sort of an apology to both Kurena and Gelda from the leader for testing Kurena. He was certainly being very kind to us serfs.

Allen looked at Kurena.

Maybe it was her first time eating these, she was wholeheartedly eating. She was not listening at all. She was excitedly biting into the bread.

"S-so that's how it is."

"Yes, and as such, please continue making genuine reports of the appraisals for the coming years as well. I do not want you, someone who has built up such a spectacular village, to be punished."

Although it is quite obvious, the leader made sure to hint that he should also not hide any bad reports.

"What shall Kurena do from now on?"

Gelda asked once the talk settled down a bit. He had no clue what a master swordsman actually does in general.

"Hmm, right. For now, please continue raising her properly like you have been."

The knights' leader answered, looking at Kurena, who was eating frantically.

"Y-yes."

"And, for the future, when she turns 12, we will have her commute to an academy. She also needs education, after all. She will probably be serving the royal family after graduating."

(Oh! There's an academy?!)

"""Royal family."""

Although Allen reacted to the academy, everyone else including the mayor reacted to the royal family. Serving the royal family means that she will be under direct supervision of the king himself.

"Academy, eh?"

"Yes, at the Academy Town. The place where the talented ones receive education and train."

He gave a simple explanation about the academy. It is a place where the ones who have talents are allowed to go. Although admission and life there would cost you money, the landlord will handle all costs for the master swordsman.

"I can become a knight if I go to academy?!"

"S-stupid, Dogora—"

Dogora, the kid who had the talent to wield an axe, came interrupting the conversation. He had a big build and had a potato-like face. His eyes were sparkling with anticipation.

"Mm? This kid is.."

"I am very sorry. That is my child, Dogora. He has the axe wielder talent and always goes on about how he wants to become a knight"

Although he was saying sorry about it, he kept pushing his child forward. It was obvious how he wanted to promote his son to the knights' leader.

"Axe wielder, eh? Hmmm. Although we require lance wielders more for the Order of Knights, axe wielders are also important. If you do well in the admission test for the academy, we will aid you with the course fees."

(Hoho, lance over axe, eh? And a scholarship too?)

It seems there were proper institutions in place to provide scholarships. Allen wondered if there was some sort of a condition here, such as working for the territory which provided the aid.

"Got it!"

It seems one can't enter the academy just because they have a talent. The knights' leader informed the mayor of this. Apparently there would be problems even for the landlord if someone from their land fails the admission. All in all, he said others can also take classes from the teacher as long as it does not hinder Kurena's studies.

The mayor scratched Dogora's hair, wanting him to be more polite. His face was clearly happy though, in contrast.

"Allen, will you study too?"

(Mm?)

"Wha?! The black-hair is talentless. Why would he study? Weak kids can't become knights, you know."

"Allen is strong! We play knight make-believe all the time!!"

"Ehh~ I know, he doesn't have any talent and his stats are really low too, right?"

"That's not true! Allen is really strong. And he knows everything too!!"

(Oi, oi, stop it, Kurena. Why are you pouring oil into the fire?)

Kurena got completely red seeing Dogora speak ill of Allen. She pouted in anger. As Kurena said so with a loud voice, it drew the knights and the other villagers' attention as well.

All eyes went to Allen, who had been silently eating all this.

"Ah right, this black-haired kid is?"

A kid with rare black hair was sitting beside Kurena. It was not anything special compared to a master swordsman so the knights' leader didn't bring it up, although he was a bit curious.

"He is my child."

Rodan answered, lowering his head. The leader looked at him with an expression which said "and you are?". Although it had been a while since the banquet began, Rodan didn't join in on any conversation with the knights' leader.

"He is my friend, Rodan."

Gelda introduced him, seeing how the knights' leader did not know Rodan. It seems something about the name Rodan caught his attention. He started speaking, as if he had just remembered something.

"Rodan? Are you Rodan the Boar Hunter?"

(Eh? He knows dad? Or rather, was that an alias I just heard?)

The leader's attention went from the black-haired Allen to his father, Rodan.

"Eh? Yes. I am Rodan."

The leader knew of him, for some reason.

"Ohh! My apologies. Why didn't you name yourself? I was about to leave without knowing the village's hero!!"

The leader's attitude suddenly changed.

"Eh? Do you know of me?"

"But of course. The landlord was also praising you. This territory has put great importance in how to increase food supply. Developing the village, expanding the fields, and for some reason, there's boar meat in the winter—the landlord was quite happy about it."

Every winter, the landlord gets processed boar meat from the village. And nowadays, in the landlord's city, it is also said that receiving the meat from the village marks the beginning of winter—the leader spoke happily.

These are great boars, which have about a ton of edible portions each. Not even half of it is consumed by the village. Most of it is carried to the landlord's city. They can hunt about 10 great boars a year. This turns into crucial food provision for the winter.

"‘When I looked into it, I saw that two serfs called Rodan and Gelda led the others and hunted the boars. Wonderful!!' –These aren't my words. You can think of them as the landlord's words."

Although there wasn't a reward or anything, Rodan was praised by the knights' leader. He praised Rodan in a loud voice in the hall. All the villagers were also listening in.

"Th-thank you very much."

Feeling somewhat rewarded for his continuous boar hunts, Rodan felt his heart fill up. And Allen was also happy seeing Rodan being praised.

The banquet ended soon after and they set out on their way back home. Allen was successful in carrying 4 whole mormo fruits under his clothes. Allen felt his feet lighter than when they were coming as he wanted to hurry home and tell Theresia all about how Rodan was praised.