123 Caravan (1/2)
”Up!” Lu Zhiyu was teaching Verthandi swordsmanship. The two raised their swords, posed with the exact same stance. Even their subtle movements were exactly the same.
”Pay attention to your footwork. Lower your center of gravity. Don't mess up. Look at my eyes, while looking straight ahead,” he instructed.
The two swords were intertwined and clashing intermittently, as the pair practiced in the center of the backyard of the cathedral. Lu Zhiyu carefully adjusted Verthandi's footwork, wrist, stance, spirit and gaze.
Verthandi was very talented. Although she had not yet awakened her blood talent, she had reached the peak of swordsmanship in regards to pure technique. She had basically reached the highest limit that she could master at present, so all that was left for her train in was skill level.
After finishing a complete set, Lu Zhiyu put down his sword. ”Yes, there is nothing to teach you in the future. Your physical condition has almost been raised to your limit.”
Verthandi sat down next to a pillar, exhausted. After hearing Lu Zhiyu's words, her two furry ears immediately perked up. ”Dad, does that mean that I'm almost ready to awaken my bloodline talent?”
After Verthandi had grown up a bit, Lu Zhiyu began growing a beard, so he was no longer Daddy, but just Dad. Lu Zhiyu nodded. ”Almost, and after awakening your bloodline, you will be a real knight. Although you'll be a tiny knight, you'll be a knight nonetheless!”
Verthandi hissed and pounced at Lu Zhiyu, showing her fangs. She pouted and stomped her feet. ”I'm only sixteen years old. I can still grow taller!”
As Lu Zhiyu was considered to be on the tall side. Verthandi, by comparison, was relatively petite, which made her particularly frustrated, because she wanted to be a great knight! In order to join the cavalry, there were height requirements, and some of the more exacting squads' criteria were pretty strict!
Verthandi waved her fist at Lu Zhiyu, who reached out and held her head down. Due to his height advantage, she couldn't reach him, no matter how hard she tried. Their hands entangled, but Lu Zhiyu kept a hand firmly on her head, laughing teasingly.
Lu Zhiyu and Verthandi were waiting for the arrival of the Elias Merchant caravan that the Bishop of Cory had mentioned in the Grand Church of Danello. They would travel together through Engido's capital, journeying to the northern lands of the Amos Icefield.
Over the past ten years, Lu Zhiyu had been traveling with Verdanti to many human and orc kingdoms. Through a coincidence, Lu Zhiyu had received an honorary title of Baron from the Kingdom of the Church of Light. Though he had no land attached to it, it had made him an actual noble now.
For more than 10 years, the two of them had relied on each other. It had really made Lu Zhiyu feel like a father. Compared to his old life, these days made Lu Zhiyu much happier. He could even forget his true identity, his powers, and his goals, as he wallowed in this newfound happiness.
A few days later, Lu Zhiyu waited outside the bathroom, standing guard. Autumn in the north was very cold, so the steam from the hot water covered the room. Training to become a knight required extremely specific conditions, including a special exercise method to temper the body to the limit. Afterwards, the brain would sense changes in the body, then unlock the bodily limits to awaken one's bloodline talent.
This required both a steady supply and large amount of food, and a supply of various medicinal materials and tempering methods. Otherwise, the body would not be able to receive the energy necessary for such rigorous training, thus making it vulnerable to injury.
Lu Zhiyu supplied Verthandi with the best of the best. There was never a shortage of supplies. As for the tempering methods, Lu Zhiyu felt that they were completely useless.