Chapter 149
The second day of the joint exercises was, as planned, devoted to demonstrations of the new weapons.
The Tenth Knight Order, along with Judiano and Hornet, went around explaining to each knight order how to use the Ten-Knight Bow and modular polearms, how to make old-fashioned crossbows in the workshops at each fortress, and how to make simple polearms using Sasar.
Drew, who had invented each of the weapons, was there too, but apparently today was one of his unmotivated days. He was sprawled out, looking utterly listless.
The knights who had gathered were all business, making the contrast with Drew all the more striking.
Once the explanations were over, mounted soldiers took turns test-firing the Ten-Knight Bows and crossbows, while new recruits mainly practiced swinging the polearms.
The second day proceeded very smoothly, and we finished everything on the schedule without a hitch. Up to that point, anyway.
As you might expect, the first to make a move were the twins.
“Hey, General Toru!”
“This time, let’s settle things with these!”
What they thrust toward General Toru was a modular polearm.
“Oh? So you’re saying you lost the other day because our weapons were different?”
“Something like that.”
“Let’s find out who the strongest really is.”
“Hold on. What do you mean, ‘the true strongest’?” Zackhart-sama was quick to take the bait.
“I mean exactly what I said.”
“You can go up against me after General Toru.”
The twins were twins through and through. In all of Rudek, they were the only ones who could speak so freely to Zackhart-sama. No, that wasn’t quite right—probably only Lufa and the twins could. Though Lufa would never say something like that.
“You should save that kind of talk until after you’ve beaten me. I’ll take you both on at once, just like last time.”
General Toru taunted the twins, but Zackhart-sama cut in.
“No, since we’re all here, I’ll take on all of you at once. Toru could use a chance to take stock of himself for a change.”
Zackhart-sama laughed heartily, and Toru-sama smiled.
“Indeed. It’s about time Zackhart-sama felt his age,” Toru-sama replied with a smile.
“Oh, you’ve got a lot to say.” Zackhart-sama suddenly exuded killing intent, and a new recruit who happened to be nearby let out a short “Eep!” and collapsed to the ground.
“Battle isn’t won with words.”
Beckstatt-sama joined in, bringing enough polearms for everyone. The situation was on the verge of exploding.
I looked to Raiz-sama, wondering if I should stop them, but Raiz-sama watched the exchange with keen interest. Beside Raiz-sama, Drew—who hadn’t shown the slightest enthusiasm until just now—was practically glowing with excitement.
Could it be that these people are treating the knight commanders and the twins as test subjects for the polearms’ durability? No, they definitely are. Their expressions say it all.
While I wondered which was more troublesome—the unruly knight commanders and the twins, or Raiz-sama and Drew—the commanders soon began their battle.
“Hmm. It’s a little too light.”
Zackhart-sama spun his polearm overhead, and a tremendous whooshing sound filled the air around us. His main weapon was a special spear made just for him. It was twice as thick and long as a normal spear, and even its shaft was made of steel.
When Lufa was kidnapped the other day, Zackhart-sama’s beloved spear was hurled right into the middle of the kidnappers. I suppose it was only natural that the person it hit literally burst apart.
“...”
Facing Zackhart-sama, Beckstatt-sama pointed his polearm at him without so much as a twitch. It was a standoff between stillness and motion.
Though neither of them was using the polearm properly.
As soldiers from the various knight orders watched from a distance, holding their breath, Zackhart-sama spun his polearm overhead and spoke to Beckstatt-sama.
“Come to think of it, have you and I ever fought before? I expect you to give me a good fight.”
“...I humbly accept the challenge.”
As if their words had been the signal, Zackhart-sama brought his polearm down in a diagonal swing.
Beckstatt-sama reacted unbelievably fast. He dodged the tip of Zackhart-sama’s weapon, then thrust his polearm straight at him.
Zackhart-sama’s polearm cut through the air and grazed the ground, snapping at the joint.
But now that it was shorter, it was easier to handle—or rather, the polearm had become little more than a staff. He swung it forcefully and knocked aside Beckstatt-sama’s thrust.
Then Beckstatt-sama’s polearm snapped at the joint, too.
The two men gripped their shortened staffs and glared at each other. Beyond them, a loud cheer rose for Toru-sama and the twins’ fight. Looking over, I saw that their polearms had broken at the joints in the same way.
“What is this thing?!”
“It’s flimsy!”
I could hear the twins shouting. We’d tried them out a few times ourselves, and they weren’t supposed to break that easily. The people fighting here were the abnormal ones.
But beside me,
“Hmm. We’ll need to come up with some way to reinforce the joints.”
“Yes. This is unexpected.”
Raiz-sama and Drew were seriously discussing improvements. Drew, where had all that laziness from earlier gone?
“This will only end up injuring someone! Someone, bring me a practice sword!”
At Toru-sama’s shout, the other four called out, “We need some over here, too!”
The soldiers watching began cheering more loudly, and just as the excitement reached its peak, Raiz-sama and Drew turned their backs and headed off as if they’d already seen all there was to see.
I watched the five of them fight for a while, but then something occurred to me, so I followed Raiz-sama and left the scene.