Stranger’s Handbook

Chapter 16: Training with the Soldiers

Today is the day I start my training with the soldiers.

I dressed myself, ate breakfast, and now I’m being shaken inside the carriage.

The weather is great, no trance of clouds in the sky, it feels like a gentle spring morning in Japan.

Since yesterday I got tired from all the crying and fell asleep early, my physical condition is great.

Otherwise, I might lose to the young lady’s weapon, so it’s all good.

I might as well use the soldiers as an excuse and go back flying to the mansion? I could pretend a stray bullet hit the bento box?

On the other hand, if I get hurt, wouldn’t that turn out as something good? It’s useless. Wounds can easily be treated with magic…….

Even though I was riding such a wonderful carriage, I felt like shouting.

After I kept shouting inside my heart for like 3 times I arrived at the training ground.

There were about 500 soldiers there. And they were all beautifully aligned, waiting for the training to start.

My foster father won’t come today.

Instead, the Magic Division Commander, my master Sonia, will be in charge.

It seems that master hasn’t come yet.

Thank God……If I would have arrived later than my master, my belly would have received another ‘air hole’.

“Excuse me. Zest-sama, it’s been a long time.”

“?……..Ah! It’s you.”

“Yes Sir! I’m Albert.”

It’s that dog knight, Albert.

I see. It’s already been a month since I came here…….but somehow it feels way longer.

“Albert-dono, I’m looking forward to working with you today!”

“Zest-sama, please just call me Albert. The honorifics are unnecessary, since I am a knight, and Zest-sama is the son of the Knights Division Commander, viscount Galef.”

That’s right!

He’s a knight to the end, which means that he’s on the bottommost when it comes to nobles.

Although I’m an adopted son, if things go as planned I will become the heir……In short, the next viscount.

Since I haven’t inherited anything officially yet, I should be treated like a baron, one rank lower than the viscount.

Something like a baron using honorifics when talking to a knight, it’s unheard of.

“I see. Albert, I’ll be counting on you.”

“Yes Sir! Leave it to me!”

After our little exchange of words, my master came.

“Have I made you wait? Lord Zest.”

“Master, please stop calling me that. And no, I just arrived as well.”

Since we were surrounded by soldiers, master switched to his Frontier Count’s Household mode.

When we are alone or only with the family, he’s just like a polite ‘papa-san’ wearing a kind smile, but there are also times when I get blown away by this gap in his conduct.

“Well, let’s get started…..Zest, are you ready?”

“Yes. We can start at any time.”

I immediately strengthened my body with magical power.

Since it’s the characteristic of the light attribute, to cast my magical power and materialize my thoughts, my master bullied me severely in order to handle this ‘foul play’ attribute……..I sure received a lot of training for this. It’s quite easy now.

“All right. Everyone! The concept is a siege battle, Zest against all of you. Experience the irrationality and the terror of a first-class light magic user!”

That’s a cruel way to put it…..and a terrible strategy……..

Most of the soldiers look uninterested, but there are some who glare at me openly.

“And be sure to attack seriously, with a killing intent! The magic users as well, attack with all your might!”

The soldiers’ thirst for blood was swelling up…..Master, don’t agitate them too much…….

I am glared at by 500 pairs of fierce eyes.

Hiiii! It’s….it’s only training, you know? Isn’t this just training?

Scary……it’s scary, but……I decided I’ll survive in this world! Get ready!

“Zest, you’re not allowed to kill them! Well then, you can start.”

What? Am I really in a position to go easy on them……..

The 500 soldiers started their assault even faster than my master’s spoken words.

Damn it! I must do it!

“Oooooooo!”

I shouted my fighting spirit and motivated myself.

I’m gonna do it! I just have to do it!

While I was remembering the training with my master, I clad my whole body in magical power.

And then, the world as I knew it has changed completely.

What is this? Are they mocking me?

I avoided the sword of a knight who attacked me in slow motion, and I pushed his body slightly.

The soldier flew away in an interesting manner.

……..What?

I looked around me only to see the knights advancing towards me with their facial expressions slowly changing to astonishment.

Oh! It can’t be……

“Zest, if you don’t go easy on them, the soldiers might die, you know. Keep it up, but be careful.”

I looked at my master to see him clad in magical power in the same manner I was.

I see…..I see……I see!

Involuntarily, I wore a mincing expression.

These guys, they can’t follow! They can’t keep up with mine and my master’s speed!

The soldiers were rushing to attack in such a slow motion that it seemed unbelievable.

With swords and lances in their hands, casting spells and relying on their physique, the soldiers were attacking, but all their efforts will amount for nothing.

Some of them were being blown away, some of them slammed onto the ground, and they were some who even got thrown away forcefully.

This was our training…….Was it a kind of training for fighting against a very strong man?

Or rather, a training in order to teach me how to go easy on the weak!

500 people were lying on the ground.

Once they were thrown down, they refused to get up again and just stared at me in blank amazement.

They were fixing their eyes on someone at such a different level compared to themselves, at someone with an overwhelming power and its unreasonableness.

“Good. Well, this is how it goes.”

My master’s words got everyone’s attention and calmed them down.

“Did you understand? This overwhelming true strength! You, the new recruits, must first remember that there is such irrationality in this world. In order to close the gap at least a little bit, you must focus on your training, group into unit corps, and obey your superiors’ orders.”

I looked around at the soldiers after master said that, and there was no one in a daze anymore.

They were all staring at my master.

“Besides, this guy here is your ally. This man, who dealt with you all by himself, is in fact the successor of the Knights Division Commander. There is no other person who could become a better comrade for you during war times than him.”

He sent a fleeting glance towards me.

Yeah, yeah, I know that already.

“Um, from now on we are brothers who serve the Frontier Count’s Household. Let’s fight together!”

In the middle of this uproar of cheers, I went around offering treatment to the injured.

“Thank you very much, Zest-sama!” “Sooo awesome….in an instant, my wounds……” “…..Ah! Aniki!”

I’m not your aniki, stop that!

Since a few of them were sending me dangerous glances, I decided to ignore them.

It’s all right. If they lick their wounds, they’ll heal. It’s not like they’ll die anyway.

In general, I was favorably accepted.

My debut served also as training for the new recruits. This was truly the same wicked way of the Frontier Count’s Household that I got so familiar with.

But still, it could count as a success. I’m really glad it did.

I finished offering treatment and finally felt relieved, when I realized someone was standing behind me…….

“As expected from Zest-sama! To take so much time to be affectionate towards something like these new recruits, you sure have interesting hobbies! Well, isn’t it already noon? Zest-sama, I am too anxious to eat my lunch in such a place all alone. Would you serve as my bodyguard?”

‘Zest-sama is so cool! I can’t believe he’s this strong. Moreover, he kept his composure against the new recruits, and gave me time to arrive here! What an amazing person! Come now, it’s already noon. Let’s eat together the lunch I prepared for you!’

The basket that was held by the maid following the wickedly smiling young lady, had an unabashed black aura surrounding it……..

Will that……account for death!?