Translator: CinderTL
"Hmph! You're quite the showman, aren't you?"
The regular soldier snorted, kicking the groaning youths sprawled on the ground with his toe.
"If you'd put any more force into it, this lot would be meeting the Heavenly Father already! Aren't you afraid I'll throw you in jail for a year or two?"
"Heh."
Roland ignored the threat, simply chuckling and asking, "Captain John, when did you return?"
"Hahaha!"
His identity exposed, John dropped his disguise and burst into laughter, clapping Roland heavily on the shoulder.
"I just got back two days ago. But what's all this commotion about?"
Roland gestured with his chin toward Marco, who stood frozen nearby, and began to explain his deductions.
"Tsk tsk tsk," John said, glancing at Marco and clicking his tongue. "That kid actually didn't get his hands dirty himself? He's got a bit of brains after all."
Suddenly, he leaned in close to Roland's ear, lowering his voice. "Tell me, how do you want to deal with him?"
"Huh?"
Roland paused, then frowned and tried to dissuade him.
"Captain John, I appreciate your kindness, but his father is Henry, the most famous blacksmith in Blackwater Territory."
"Henry? Hmph! So what?"
John waved his hand dismissively.
"At the end of the day, he's just a commoner with decent forging skills. His son caused trouble at a noble estate, and I'm simply handling the matter according to the law. Does he dare to object?"
"But don't we lack solid evidence?"
"Evidence? Ha!"
John threw an arm around Roland's shoulder, raising an eyebrow.
"Once we lock him up in the Dungeon, we'll have all the evidence we need!"
"Won't this cause you trouble?"
"What? You look down on me?"
John's lips curled into a smile.
"If it weren't for you, kid, those kobolds would have torn me to shreds by now! This little matter is nothing in comparison."
Hearing this, Roland smiled knowingly.
Marco had repeatedly caused trouble for him, even hiring assassins to kill him. Roland had meticulously recorded every grievance, every incident, in his memory.
If it weren't for his father's influence in the Blackwater Territory, Roland would have crushed Marco to ashes with his own hands long ago!
Now that the opportunity had presented itself, how could he possibly refuse?
"I'll leave everything to Captain John's arrangements."
"That's the spirit!"
John released Roland and turned to the two standing guards behind him, shouting, "What are you waiting for?"
He pointed at the stunned Marco. "Arrest this brat!"
"What are you doing?"
Marco hadn't heard the conversation between Roland and John from so far away and was still completely bewildered.
Only when the guards reached out to grab his shoulders did he realize what was happening and struggle fiercely.
Years of swinging a heavy hammer to hone his forging skills had given him far greater strength than other boys his age. And since the guards hesitated to use their full force out of consideration for his status, they couldn't subdue him immediately.
"What's this?"
John strode forward, his voice low and menacing. "Still resisting?"
Seeing John's hand tighten on his sword hilt, Marco swallowed hard, his voice trembling. "Sir, I... I just... don't understand why you're arresting me?"
"Why?"
John sneered, pointing at the youths still groaning in pain on the ground.
"I'm asking you, were you not among those who followed Mr. Hawk to learn blacksmithing?"
"Y-yes..."
"Then..."
John suddenly leaned in close, his sharp gaze piercing Marco's evasive eyes.
"Why did you stand by and watch when they were being beaten?"
"Huh?"
Marco had never expected John to arrest him for this reason.
After a moment of stunned silence, he stammered in defense.
"Well... Roland was too strong. If I'd stepped in, I would have just gotten beaten too. Besides..."
"Coward!" John roared, cutting him off. "The thing I hate most in this life is a coward!"
He turned to the two guards, his voice filled with fury.
"What are you waiting for? Didn't you eat enough for breakfast? Do I have to do this myself?"
"Yes, sir!"
Seeing their captain's anger, the two guards didn't hesitate any longer. Their iron-grip hands clamped down on Marco's arms like a vise.
In that moment, the blacksmith's son, who had always looked down on others, finally realized the gravity of the situation.
He glared at Roland and John, his eyes burning with venomous rage.
"How dare you treat me like this? My father is—"
Thud!
Marco's shouting abruptly ceased.
John's sword hilt slammed into his abdomen, forcing the rest of his sentence into a pained groan.
"Take him to the Dungeon and interrogate him thoroughly! If I find out you went easy on him..."
"As you command, Captain!"
The two guards, catching sight of the gruesome scar on John's face, couldn't help but shiver. They quickly hauled Marco away toward the prison cells.
"As for you..."
John turned to the group of bruised and battered youths on the ground, his voice sharp.
"Get out of here! Do you want me to have you carried back?"
The youths helped each other up, limping away with sullen expressions.
But as they passed Roland, all their resentment instantly froze.
Their bodies stiffened, their necks instinctively recoiled, and a primal fear flickered in their eyes.
In the blink of an eye, the once bustling clearing was left with only Roland and John.
"I heard today's the day for selecting blacksmith apprentices."
After confirming no one was nearby, John dropped his stern facade and clapped Roland on the shoulder with a smile.
"Looks like you've already passed the assessment?"
"Yes."
Roland nodded in confirmation.
"Hahaha, I never would have guessed!"
John bent down to pick up Roland's belongings, which had fallen during the fight, and casually handed them back.
"You're not just skilled in combat, but your forging skills are also outstanding."
"Captain John, you're too kind. I'm just..."
"Spare me the formalities!"
John waved his hand dismissively, then chatted for a few more moments before finally saying, "Well, since there's nothing else..."
As John turned to leave, Roland suddenly remembered something and quickly called out, "Captain John, I have a few things I'd like to ask you."
"Hmm..."
John stopped, glanced at the approaching guards in the distance, and grunted before speaking.
"Kid, I still have patrol duty. How about this?"
"You're reporting to the blacksmith shop on the east side now, right? When I'm off duty tonight, I'll come find you for a drink!"
"Well..."
Roland scratched his head, feeling awkward about John's enthusiastic invitation.
"Mr. Hawk probably wouldn't allow me to drink."
"Uh..."
Hearing Hawk's name, John's momentum faltered slightly.
"Since it's Mr. Hawk's rule... then how about this? You just watch me drink! Don't worry, I'll bring some top-notch snacks to go with the drinks!"
"Alright!"
Roland smiled faintly.
"Then I'll skip dinner and wait to savor Captain John's culinary delights."
"Now that's more like it!"
Seeing Roland finally abandon his formalities, John nodded in satisfaction and strode away.
Roland let out a long sigh, a smile playing on his lips as he recalled Marco's earlier disheveled appearance.
He then picked up his luggage and soon arrived at the blacksmith shop on the east side.
"Good heavens..."
Standing at the entrance, Roland couldn't help but catch his breath at the sight before him.
The spacious, brightly lit forging hall was three times larger than his previous workplace. Several iron forging stations were neatly arranged, each equipped with a complete set of brand-new tools.
Compared to this place, the blacksmith shop where he had previously learned his craft was nothing more than a dilapidated workshop.
"You must be Roland, right?"
Just then, a tall young man strode over, a friendly smile on his face.
"My name is George. I'm Master Hawk's apprentice. The master already told me to show you around. Follow me."
As George led the way, he meticulously explained the blacksmith shop's facilities and regulations.
In no time, they reached a forging station.
"This is where you'll be working from now on. Don't hesitate to ask me anything you don't understand. As for those rules..."
George paused, as if remembering something, and forced an awkward smile.
"You'd better follow them strictly. I'm sure you've already seen Master Hawk's temper."
"Understood. Thank you, Mr. George," Roland said sincerely.
"Don't mention it," George replied with a wave of his hand before leaving.
Surveying the spacious and brightly lit forging hall, Roland couldn't help but smile.
Unlike the tense atmosphere of his previous apprenticeship, the apprentices here seemed unusually friendly, perhaps because they weren't competing with each other.
After several conversations, Roland found himself increasingly looking forward to his new life as a blacksmith apprentice.
From the other apprentices, Roland learned about the work system here.
Each month, in addition to their basic forging tasks, Hawk would assign extra work.
If an apprentice didn't perform well, they might get scolded, but their pay would still be issued.
If they excelled, they'd receive a bonus in coins, though after deducting costs and mandatory contributions, little would remain.
As a result, most apprentices chose to simply complete their basic tasks.
"This is practically a paradise for slacking off," Roland murmured to himself after hearing this.
The setting sun dipped below the horizon, deepening the twilight.
As Roland stepped out of the blacksmith shop, he bumped into John, who was carrying large bags of groceries.
"Hey! Perfect timing!" John's hearty laughter, mingled with the aroma of wine and roasted meat, washed over Roland. He threw an arm around Roland's shoulder. "Come on, let's go to your dorm. I heard you apprentices under Mr. Hawk all get single rooms? Tsk tsk, that's a luxury that'll make anyone envious."
As they chatted, they arrived at a row of detached cottages. Following George's earlier directions, Roland quickly found his own.
He pushed open the door and peered inside. Though sparsely furnished, the bright and clean space was a world apart from the crowded dormitory he'd shared with a dozen others before.
"Wow! This is spacious!"
John marveled, then casually moved a wooden table from the corner and began arranging the food and wine.
After popping the cork and taking a swig, he asked directly, "So, kid, what do you need from me?"
"I want to learn archery from you," Roland replied, his eyes burning with determination as he accepted the roasted chicken leg John offered.
He still vividly remembered John's peerless archery skills. If the Bloodscale Kobold hadn't been covered in tough scales, John and the two regular soldiers might have been able to kill it on their own.
"Archery? Leave it to me!" John declared, thumping his chest. "But it's too late tonight. We'll start tomorrow afternoon. I can give you some pointers first, though."
As John explained the fundamentals in simple terms, Roland realized archery was far more complex than simply drawing a bow and releasing an arrow. Every aspect, from stance to breathing, finger placement to power generation, was a skill in itself.
Night deepened unnoticed.
After stuffing the last piece of chicken and black bread into his mouth, Roland casually asked, "By the way, Captain John, what's the situation with the kobolds who flooded in from Dawn Territory earlier?"
Before he could finish, John's smile vanished. The usually jovial veteran frowned deeply and sighed heavily.
(End of the Chapter)
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