Chapter 293 293-The Trial
"Lord Howard, my daughter works in your court, and I am grateful for your care towards her," the village chief said. Howard replied, "What are you saying? When I first arrived in Yami Village as a mere knight, didn't you help me just the same? I remember when I was destitute and arrived here without even a cotton coat to my name. It was you, the kind-hearted village chief, who gave me one. I still remember that to this day. Thank you, village chief."
The chief's face, lined with wrinkles, conveyed his years of wisdom. He expressed his hope that his daughter would take on more significant roles in Howard's court. While the library was a fine place, it lacked authority. His aim was to have Boshni handle more specialized tasks to hone her skills.
Howard had a hunch, sensing an underlying message in the village chief's words, as if he was hinting at nurturing Boshni into becoming a new vassal. Bosiden, Vettel, and Alonso rose from commoners to nobility because they played crucial roles in the early days of Howard's venture and possessed genuine capabilities. These two factors were indispensable.
However, Boshni lacked both. She joined Howard's team after his rise to power and, in terms of actual achievements, her contributions were mediocre, nothing exceptional. According to Nora's accounts and Boshni's own admission, she seemed incapable of excelling in any task.
To entrust Boshni with any responsibility was a stretch, as she could be careless even in her individual work, adding obstacles rather than aid. Thus, Howard found himself in a difficult position facing the village chief's expectations.
Nevertheless, as someone often interacting with lords, the village chief understood the nuances of such conversations. His earlier remarks merely suggested giving Boshni more important tasks, without explicitly mentioning any reward of nobility. Thus, facing the village chief who once assisted him, Howard managed a convincingly cheerful smile and said, "No problem, I can give Boshni this opportunity." The village chief was overjoyed. "Thank you, my lord."
However, Howard hadn't finished speaking. He added, "Village chief, there might be some challenges later, so could you please tell me directly which specific area Boshni could handle?" Howard's expression was somewhat playful as he posed this question. He thought it a real challenge and preferred to ask the chief directly rather than making a vague promise now and struggling to find a solution later.
Howard had made up his mind to follow whatever the village chief suggested and then assign Boshni the corresponding role. He effectively tossed the ball into the village chief's court. After careful thought, the chief replied, "Well, Lord, why not have Boshni oversee the horse breeding? She may not excel at much, but she is particularly dedicated when it comes to horses."
Howard felt there was no issue with the village chief's suggestion. Being in charge of horses was not as critical as being a minister. If Boshni made mistakes, perhaps the consequences would not be too severe.
After discussing Boshni's matter with the village chief, Howard shifted the topic, "Now that we've talked about your daughter, is Anna here? I need to see her." The chief replied, "Yes, she's been teaching the children to read lately."
Howard raised an eyebrow, surprised by this revelation. When he found Anna, she was indeed engrossed in teaching a farmer's child how to read. Not wanting to interrupt, Howard waited until she finished her lesson and came outside.
Leaning against the house, Howard greeted her, "Anna." She turned, surprised to see Howard, "You're here? Why didn't anyone inform me?"
Howard approached her, asking, "Is it such a surprise?" Anna admitted it was.
Howard initially intended to directly thank her for her involvement in the Katerina and Valuva family matters, but then he thought of a better way. He proposed a friendly martial arts sparring session with Anna, and she led him to Yami Village's training ground.
Following behind her, Howard commented, "Actually, there was no need for you to guide me to the training ground. Don't forget, when you first came to Yami Village, I defeated you here. I'm more familiar with the paths of Yami Village than you are."
Anna entered the training ground, taking a sword and shield handed to her by a nearby attendant, and continued forward. Howard also stepped into the arena, selecting a one-handed sword and shield from an array of weapons and armor laid out at the side.
In the training ground, Anna seemed to revert to her former self, the fierce blonde warrior. She taunted Howard, "What's this? Abandoning your two-handed greatsword for a one-handed sword and shield from my armory? Didn't you once say that you only use a greatsword, proclaiming it as the romance of men? Why the sudden switch to a one-handed sword?"
Howard, shield in his left hand and sword in the right, positioned himself at the opposite end of the training area. He replied, "I just don't want to win too quickly. Otherwise, sparring with you wouldn't be any fun."
Anna slowly approached Howard, declaring, "Your arrogance will cost you. I'll wipe that smile off your face soon enough!" She then charged at Howard, hoping to catch him off guard. However, Howard was well-prepared, thwarting Anna's surprise attack. Raising his shield with his left hand, he blocked Anna's sword, then stepped counterclockwise around her, swinging his sword towards her.
Anna let out a battle cry as her shield also blocked Howard's strike. She then took a small step back, creating distance between them. "Hmph, seems you do have some skill after all. I thought you only knew how to wield a greatsword and had no idea how to handle a one-handed sword," she remarked.
Howard responded, "Before I practiced with the greatsword, I trained with a one-handed sword. It's simple and light, equally lethal and dangerous when striking unprotected areas. The key advantage of a one-handed sword is the ability to pair it with a shield, offering an extra layer of survival assurance on the battlefield."
Anna slowly paced around Howard, walking in a semi-circle from his right to his left, and commented, "You speak quite convincingly. I think you could give Resarite a run for his money; maybe you could even become a military instructor. But I'm curious, if you understand the practicality of a one-handed sword with a shield in battlefield survival, why would a lord like you prefer a two-handed sword?"
Howard replied, "When my soldiers are fighting, how can I not join them? If I, as their lord, were to timidly hold a shield and hesitate to advance, would my soldiers still find the courage to fight bravely? I'm a noble of the castle, not a military instructor, and I seldom interact with the soldiers. If I were to put on a show on the battlefield, how could I justify the purpose of my warfare? They are my conscripted soldiers, fighting for my cause!"
Anna found Howard's words resonating with her own beliefs. As someone who also believed in leading by example on the battlefield, her loyalty to Howard grew. Anna's philosophy was to lead from the front. She didn't use a two-handed sword because she genuinely couldn't handle it. From her previous sparring sessions with Howard, it was evident that her strength was insufficient. She often lost due to a lack of physical power to support her tactical ideas.
Anna rarely complimented, but she did this time, "I think you make a lot of sense. We, as lords, established our position through martial prowess. If we don't demonstrate our strength on the battlefield, when will we? Nobles who maintain their rule through force should fight valiantly in battle."
Howard nodded and then said, "By the way, thank you for bridging the gap for me. I am now allies with Earl Edward. If Mibo comes with his relatives to fight, Edward will assist me." Anna turned her head away, coquettishly saying, "Hmph, I didn't do it for you!"
Howard chuckled and responded, "Regardless, I appreciate it. Now, let's continue our duel."
Howard charged towards Anna with a powerful overhead strike, as if intending to split her in two. Anna hastily raised her shield to block the blow. Learning from her previous encounters, she quickly retreated on her still-steady knees after absorbing some of the force, causing Howard's subsequent shield strike to miss.
"You fight so aggressively, even using your shield as a weapon. Are you a berserker?" Anna asked.
Howard, with a confident twist of his neck, looked at Anna and said, "You guess."
Anna made a quick advance, leading Howard to think she was going for a direct attack. As Howard raised his shield, Anna swiftly maneuvered to his right, bypassing his shield. With her right hand, she thrust her one-handed sword forward towards Howard.
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