Chapter 46 - Turning Point In Life
While Arnold and Dan were racking their brains over Bent's training methods, inside Bent's room....
“Master Bent, is something the matter? You seem so down.”
Sarah asked Bent, who had just returned from school.
“It’s nothing.”
Bent replied in a mumble.
It’s not unusual for Master Bent to be feeling down, but today he seems particularly depressed.
"Master Bent, did something happen at school?"
"I told you nothing happened!"
Bent snapped at Sarah.
This is the first time I've seen Master Bent act like this. I have to find out what really happened.
"This won't do. You can't study properly in this state. I am always on your side, Master Bent. Please tell me what happened."
"My side...?"
"That's right. I'm always on your side, Master Bent."
Hearing that, Bent began to talk about what happened this morning little by little.
"Hmm, so that's what happened...."
Sarah nodded to herself.
"You were given swords that were easy to break for training, correct?"
"I was told the sword wouldn't break if I swing it correctly, though...."
"Isn't Master Bent being deceived?"
"Dad.... deceived me...?"
"You told me before that he only taught Fighting Spirit to Master John, right?"
“Dad said it was still too early for me, and that he’d teach me if I decide to enter the knight academy next year.”
“Did you tell him that you wanted to enter the knight academy too, Master Bent?”
“No, I said I'm not sure yet.”
"Do you want to become a knight too, Master Bent?"
Bent shook his head.
"That means Master Arnold will never teach you Fighting Spirit."
". . . . . . . . . ."
“Master Arnold was once a renowned adventurer, so it wouldn’t be surprising if he decided on his successor based on sword skills. He might already be considering Master John as his successor and is trying to make you give up."
“If that’s the case, I’ll go to the knight academy too....”
“Are you confident you can beat Master John in swordsmanship, Master Bent?”
“That’s....”
"You will have a better chance of winning by challenging your opponent with what you're good at, rather than what they're good at.".
". . . . . . . . . ."
“The most important ability for a lord is how to collect taxes. I mean no offense, but Master Arnold is an amateur when it comes to managing a territory. He set the tax on the same rate as the commission taken by the adventurer guild from clients and adventurers, so this territory’s tax rate is abnormally low. I suspect he just set it based on his experience as an adventurer without much thought. The proof is whenever the taxes fall short, he pays out of his own pocket.”
“Dad is an amateur....”
"Yes. Master and Madam, who haven't shaken off their adventurer mentality, don't seem to mind even when a craftsman calls their child 'kiddo'. In other territories, if a commoner spoke like that to the lord's family, they could be executed for disrespecting the nobility.”
". . . . . . . . . ."
“Not being looked down on by commoners, and collecting more taxes --- these are what’s expected of the next lord.”
". . . . . . . . . ."
“Before Master Arnold chooses his successor based solely on sword skills, you should acquire what’s truly necessary for a lord and seize the lordship for yourself --- for the sake of this territory.”
“But there’s also Gail....”
"You don't have to worry about Master Gail. He's just a kid who learned to speak a little earlier than others. Master Arnold assigned an orphan maid and a beast-man-like servant to take care of him. I suppose he intends to make him an adventurer. Just think of him as a monkey playing in the forest every day."
". . . . . . . . . ."
"Now then, let's forget about swordsmanship and focus on our studies. You don't need sword skills to be a good lord these days."
"But...."
"Master Bent, please believe me. I've always been on your side."