Weapon Master of the Count’s Family

Chapter 11: Class is Eternal (3)

Once all the tests were over, Everhart stepped out of the training hall.

He stood before the cadets gathered in the courtyard and began his speech.

“Gentlemen! The Head Instructor was deeply impressed by your performance today. Your fervor, unmatched by any previous class, has set an example even for me.”

Though his words were directed at a specific individual, he framed them as if they applied to all the cadets.

“The passion you displayed today will leave footprints as pioneers toward the future. So, keep this in mind: if you graduate from Lansed without incident, you will become beings that no one can take lightly.”

However, this was not as easy as his words suggested.

On average, half of the new cadets would drop out or be expelled within their first year.

As the years progressed, that number would halve, and halve again, until only ten or twenty cadets would ultimately graduate from the Academy.

“I believe all of you have the potential to make it to the end. So, work hard and give it your all.”

Who among them would be part of those ten or twenty was something no one could predict.

Yet, Everhart was certain of one thing: as long as Evan Lafard didn’t leave of his own accord, he would surely reach that end.

“In closing, as your Head Instructor, I wish you all success.”

After the speech, the Head Instructor departed, and Instructor Nell Verind stepped forward to explain the upcoming schedule.

“Attention, everyone! In addition to your regular training schedule, you will be given one task. Based on today’s tests, you will choose your primary weapon.”

The reason the instructor called it a “task” was as follows:

“This is not a simple choice. At the end-of-month evaluation, you will face each other in duels. And based on those duels, if you’re deemed lacking in potential… you will be expelled.”

The cadets murmured in shock at the instructor’s bombshell announcement.

“Quiet! This has nothing to do with winning or losing. If you perform well, no one will be expelled. So, make the most of the remaining time. I believe in you all. Dismissed!”

Thus began the infamous selection process of Lansed.

Simply enduring training was no longer enough to survive here.

The time had come when only those who could fully demonstrate their capabilities would prevail.

The cadets shared their anxious thoughts with friends nearby.

“What do we do? Have you decided?”

“Sigh… I don’t know. Should I just go with a sword like everyone else? What about you?”

“The Head Instructor said I showed some talent with a spear, so maybe that.”

Some cadets were already discussing and deliberating which weapons to choose.

Evan was no exception.

Hmm… what should I wield?

His dilemma was similar yet slightly different.

Having too many options made the choice itself a challenge.

Something I’ve never tried before… but is there even such a thing for me?

As someone called a Weapon Master, he wanted to wield something new and unfamiliar this time.

Whether such a thing existed, however, he still didn’t know.

There’s plenty of time, so I’ll think it over.

For some, this might seem a trivial concern, but for others, it was a pivotal moment in their lives.

Like Jack, standing silently beside Evan.

“Jack, what are you going to wield? Did the Head Instructor recommend anything?”

“Well…”

Jack hesitated, then spoke with a hint of embarrassment.

“All…”

“What? All? Wow, this guy’s more—”

“No, not like that… He said I can’t handle any of them. The Head Instructor…”

“Huh?”

Despite Jack’s overwhelming talent in Qi, he faced an unexpected obstacle: he couldn’t properly wield a single weapon.

“Really? Well, you haven’t tried everything yet. If you experiment with them all, something’s bound to click.”

“Sure, but can I really handle all those weapons on my own?”

“I’m here, aren’t I?”

***

From the afternoon following the Head Instructor’s tests, the Academy’s training took on a slightly different form.

Previously, mornings and afternoons were filled solely with physical conditioning.

Now, the afternoons were dedicated to “free training.”

The purpose of this free training was to prepare for the duels at the end-of-month evaluation.

It was a time for each cadet to find a weapon they could handle comfortably and train with it.

Of course, instructors and assistants did not intervene during this process.

They merely observed, leaving it entirely up to the cadets to uncover their hidden potential.

“The training hall is open at all times. Train as much as you want!” Nell declared.

As he said, the training hall was open 24 hours a day.

Yet, most cadets finished their training and left by evening.

Only Evan and Jack remained, staying past midnight.

Wow, this is worse than I thought.

Evan had confidently assured Jack that he’d find a weapon suited to him, no matter what.

But this problem was more serious than expected.

He has no sense of distance when holding a weapon. His strikes are slightly off-target.

When Jack practiced alone without an opponent, it didn’t seem like a big issue.

But from the perspective of an opponent, the problem was clear.

When he swings a sword, the strike is either too short or too long. And with a spear, forget hitting a vital spot—it doesn’t even reach the body.

Failing to land effective hits was a separate issue from Evan’s quick reaction speed.

The weapons’ contact points with the opponent were simply not lethal.

“Stop. That’s enough.”

Only after putting down the nineteenth weapon, a polearm, did Jack slump his shoulders.

“Haa… I couldn’t even get close to you, Young Master. Am I really that talentless?”

“No, your strength and speed are both good. It’s just your accuracy that’s lacking.”

“…”

At Evan’s assessment, Jack lowered his head with a complicated expression.

“We’ve seen most of the close-range weapons, so how about trying a bow next?”

“But I’ve never shot a bow before. Even during the test, the Head Instructor said I had no talent for it.”

Undeterred, Evan walked to the rack, retrieving a small bow and a quiver of arrows.

“It’s fine. A bow like this should be manageable for you. I’m not expecting you to hit the target over there—just let me see your form.”

Jack took the bow, took a deep breath, and drew the string.

Creak.

He fired an arrow toward the target set up in the distance.

Thud!

The arrow didn’t come close to the target.

“Try it with the other hand this time.”

“Okay.”

Jack adjusted his grip and drew the string again.

Thud!

It was slightly closer to the target, but still a miss.

Hmm?

Watching this, something clicked for Evan, and he approached Jack.

“Hold on.”

Evan covered Jack’s left eye.

“Can you see?”

“Huh?”

“Can you see?”

“Of course.”

Then he covered the other eye.

“Can you see?”

“Uh…”

“You can’t see out of one eye, can you?”

Evan had noticed that Jack closed the same eye every time he used the bow.

Even when switching hands, he consistently closed his right eye, which seemed odd.

That subtle discrepancy sparked suspicion.

“Come to think of it, when you thrust with a spear, your aim tended to veer to one side. Why didn’t you tell me one of your eyes doesn’t work?”

“Because… if I did, I’d become useless. I need to become a knight and earn money.”

“What?”

“I mean, this place is tough even for people with fully functioning bodies. If it got out that I’m blind in one eye, a fatal flaw…”

Perhaps the Young Count or the Count would have found someone else to replace Jack.

Even if his role was merely to serve, he still had to survive here to do so.

But that was then, and now Evan needed Jack, whether he could see or not.

“But that was before. You could’ve told me. No matter what flaws you have, I need you.”

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to deceive you, Young Master. I just couldn’t find the right moment to tell you, and it kept getting delayed until now. I’m really sorry.”

It was a sincere apology from Jack.

Knowing Jack harbored no ill intent, Evan let it pass with a sigh.

“Phew, at least we know now, so that’s something.”

Having identified the cause, finding a solution was straightforward.

Whether that solution was available here was another matter, though.

“This means you can’t use ordinary weapons. Swords and spears are out, and don’t even think about touching a bow. It’s already tough with one eye, and that would make it worse.”

“Then what should I use?”

“You’ll need a weapon that lets you fight so close that distance doesn’t matter.”

“What would that be?”

“A dagger comes to mind, but that’s an assassin’s primary weapon. In one-on-one combat, it’s just a secondary tool. Relying solely on it is too risky. Hmm…”

Evan scanned the weapon rack and said, “What would be good…”

He examined various weapons, searching for something suitable for Jack.

But nothing stood out.

Something that lets him fight up close without getting hurt easily and doesn’t require much skill… what could that be?

He circled the rack multiple times, deep in thought.

Then he noticed a full suit of plate armor displayed at the training hall’s entrance.

“That’s it! We don’t have to limit ourselves to the rack. Jack, I found it!”

Jack followed Evan as he approached the armor.

“What?”

“This. This is perfect for your weapon.”

“Uh… but this is armor, isn’t it?”

What Evan was looking at wasn’t the armor itself but the plate gauntlets paired with it—an integrated gauntlet.

“Right, it’s armor. But on its own, it’s a powerful weapon.”

Evan slipped one gauntlet onto his fist and struck the floor.

Boom!

“Gah!”

The impact made Jack’s heart skip a beat.

“In battle, weapons often get lost or broken. In those cases, people sometimes resort to hand-to-hand combat as a stopgap. Plus, since this is made of plate, it’ll be an excellent defensive tool.”

Evan demonstrated a few punches while wearing the gauntlet.

“As for skill, learning some decent hand-to-hand techniques should suffice, so it’s not too difficult.”

“But I’m no good at punching.”

“That’s fine. I’ll teach you.”

Evan removed the gauntlet and handed it to Jack, who flinched at its weight.

“Whoa! It’s pretty heavy.”

“It’s plate, like I said. From now on, you need to treat it like an extension of your body. So, wear it and mimic my movements to make it your own. In a week, you’ll spar with me.”

“Do you really think I have talent?”

“Doesn’t matter if you don’t. I’ll make sure you’re at least strong enough to hold your own against the other cadets in our class. Except me, of course.”

Evan was confident.

Even if his pupil had a visual impairment, with his training, Jack would be more than capable of defeating his peers.

“But the training won’t be easy. I can’t stand seeing my people get beaten up out there.”

“I’ll endure anything!”

Jack seemed genuinely moved by Evan’s dedication to helping him.

“But, Young Master, aren’t you going to train? If you’re only helping me, what are you going to show?”

“Me? Hmm…”

Jack’s question made Evan pause.

Unlike Jack, his dilemma stemmed from being able to wield every weapon.

Yeah, what should I wield?

After much deliberation, Evan finally settled on an answer.

“I’ll just…”

Evan picked up something.

Seeing it, Jack’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“You’re seriously going to use that?”