Grimm: Ch. 14

---Third POV---

At that moment, it felt as though time stood still.

"Hiss..." Jan froze completely, stunned beyond words at what he'd just witnessed.

"Ugh!!"

Realizing what was happening, Gerald struggled wildly, trying to push away from Bernhardt who stood paralyzed with shock at what he'd done.

But before he could retreat, Grimm grabbed Gerald's wrists, pinning them above his head to prevent the silver-haired child from attacking his stunned companion.

Damn it! How is this guy so strong?! As the situation grew increasingly intolerable and the lack of oxygen took its toll, Gerald snapped and bit down hard on Bernhardt's lip, drawing blood before Grimm could pull them apart.

"Hiss... You're quite fierce, little girl." Grimm couldn't help but grin, even as he maintained his grip on the furious child.

"But this is entertaining."

He finally released the struggling Gerald, who collapsed to the ground, coughing violently and wiping his mouth with undisguised disgust. Bernhardt stood frozen, touching his bleeding lip, his face a mixture of shock, joy, and growing terror as he watched rage build in those blue eyes.

"Cough, cough! You... bastards! I..." Gerald could barely speak, coughing violently and gasping for fresh air.

"Consider it payment for the punch earlier! We're even now!" Grimm called out, grabbing the shell-shocked Bernhardt by the collar.

Judging by Gerald's furious expression, once he recovered, he would definitely catch up and beat him to a pulp.

Better to retreat now!

Grimm shoved Paulus, who was pinning down Bernhardt, to the side and pulled Bernhardt along to flee. Bernhardt, who had mostly recovered, was dragged along as their escape through the alley began.

"You jerk! Stop running!" Gerald had barely caught his breath when he saw the audacious man trying to escape. He immediately gave chase.

Finally snapping out of his stupor, Jan hurriedly grabbed some stones from the roadside and followed.

"You bully Gerald! I won't forgive you!" Paulus, still spitting out dirt, scrambled to his feet and chased after them.

---

Grimm realized the child was quickly closing the distance. Despite weaving through several alleys, he couldn't shake his pursuer.

Ahead lay rows of drying fabrics, likely near a textile shop.

Glancing back at Gerald, he couldn't help but admire the tenacity.

"What's this? Chasing us so fiercely… do you want to kiss him again?"

"You… Ahhh! Stop right there, you bastard! Let's fight it out!" Gerald shouted furiously.

"Hahaha, only an idiot would stand still to get beaten!"

Taunting someone and running away was exhilarating! Grimm's face radiated smug satisfaction—until karma struck.

Thwack!

A stone hit him on the back of his head.

"Hiss!" He turned to glare at the culprit—a familiar blond boy—who was running while preparing another stone. If not for the lack of larger rocks nearby, his head might've been bleeding by now.

Bernhardt was also hit by a flying stone. Whoever was throwing them had unnervingly good aim!

After a series of twists and turns, Grimm spotted a bush beside the drying fabrics. Taking advantage of the cover, he dragged Bernhardt into the foliage to hide.

Thud, thud, thud.

"Stop right there!" Gerald and his companions ran past, unaware of their hiding spot.

Listening to their fading footsteps, Grimm lay in the bushes and chuckled softly.

"Haha… finally, a break." Bernhardt relaxed completely, lying flat on the ground. He was utterly exhausted.

"Let's go, Bernhardt!" Grimm clapped Bernhardt on the shoulder, ready to take a shortcut back.

His stomach was already growling.

"Hahaha, alright!" Thanks to his Grimm's cleverness, they didn't have to run anymore.

The two laughed as they returned to the castle, exchanging stories of their "thrilling and exciting" escape.

---

"Damn it!!"

"Those sneaky bastards!!"

After running for what felt like an eternity, Gerald realized the two had already disappeared. Furious and helpless, he collapsed to the ground.

"Hah… hah… What even happened? Why are you so mad?" Paulus asked, clueless. He had never run this much before.

"My advice? Don't ask." Jan patted Paulus' shoulder.

Fortunately, the big guy was simple-minded enough not to press further.

"It's okay. They'll definitely come back to my house for the clothes they ordered! They already paid a deposit! Next time, we'll catch those cunning rats!" Paulus reassured Gerald.

"Alright… let him cool off alone for now."

Gerald stared at his hands, which seemed fragile compared to Grimm's. His wrists still bore red marks from the grip.

He grabbed a handful of pebbles and hurled them into the distance, fuming. I won't let you off, you hateful jerk!!!

---Grimm's POV---

By dusk, Bernhardt and I returned just in time. The servants had prepared some snacks to stave off hunger.

The castle was quite lively.

Knights were shedding their armor and chatting in the halls, while servants gathered outside to socialize. The stables were packed with horses, and the grooms were busy feeding them.

After a quick meal, we went to the training grounds, which were now even livelier than in the morning. Many adults were sparring, and most of the castle's residents gathered around to watch.

Bernhardt and I naturally joined the crowd. Watching the duels was an invaluable learning opportunity. After observing for a while, we began swinging our own swords on the sidelines.

By twilight, the crowd dispersed to find seats for the evening banquet. While it was rare for squires to attend, there were always exceptions. Bernhardt, a few other knights' squires, and I sat together.

As night fell, the banquet dishes were finally served, and the feast began. The king's speech resonated across the hall, though we couldn't see him directly.

The windows above were open, allowing the king's words to reach all.

"Thank you to all the warriors who fought for Midor! This victory is a triumph for the kingdom, thanks in no small part to the Dragon Knights. Rewards are as follows:"

"To Julius: ten bolts of silk, forty pounds of black pepper, and two thousand gold coins for military expenses!"

"To each knight of the Dragon Knights: two gold coins, one pound of silk, and a rank promotion for those with notable achievements in this campaign!"

"And at the end of this month, we will celebrate the wedding of Julius and Diana!!"

As the herald finished, cheers and applause erupted. Down below, we cheered and dug into our food. Upstairs, music began anew, marking the start of a noble dance. Only after the first dance would the upper banquet begin.

I heard these details from the servants near me.

"When will we be promoted to knights ourselves?"

"It's only a matter of time…"

Squires of noble birth were filled with eager anticipation, while those of common origin celebrated briefly before drinking in silence. In the Dragon Knights, commoners had no path to knighthood.

---

When the first rooster's crow in the castle heralded the dawn, I was already packed and mounted, ready to follow Kadi to the Dragon Knights' camp.

Even though many had been drunk the night before, we were required to gather here and prepare for the journey to the main camp.

"Why isn't everyone here yet?"

"Forget it. It's rare to win a battle. Let them sleep. We'll head back to the main camp first."

"Dragon Knights, return to camp!"

Julius organized the troops, leading us back to the camp below the castle. We were stationed on the open ground, always ready to guard the castle and the royal family above. The area seemed somewhat desolate when unoccupied, but that was about to change.

The Dragon Knights had returned.

The entire day was consumed with pitching tents and organizing the grounds, a tiring and mundane routine. Fortunately, the army's food was decent—better-than-expected bread and boiled dried meat.

Bernhardt and I shared a tent, with Kadi's tent located just behind ours for easy summoning. Knights had their own individual tents.

A rare peaceful day.

"No, you're not utilizing your core strength properly!"

"... Your steps aren't wide enough."

"Nope, this won't do at all..."

I shook my head as I observed Bernhardt's numerous flaws. Even before sparring, the weaknesses were glaring.

"You'll understand during a fight." I picked up a wooden sword and stood across from him.

"... Boss?"

"Come, let me show you how to fight!" My sudden thrust caught Bernhardt off guard, sending him stumbling to the ground under the tip of the wooden sword.

"Now it's your turn to attack!"

He clambered back to his feet awkwardly, frustrated as he launched an all-out assault.

I deflected his strikes, redirecting their force and knocking his sword to the side. Without stable footing, he staggered forward clumsily. A wide swing of my sword left him clutching his side in pain as he collapsed to the ground again.

"This isn't working. Your strength shouldn't be this weak—you're not using it at all."

I had assumed his 21 strength points, five higher than my own, would at least give me a sore hand.

But it didn't.

"Boss..." he sat dejectedly on the ground. Despite three days of training, he'd made no real progress.

"Try a different weapon; maybe you're not suited for greatswords." I recalled Bernhardt's initial use of a battleaxe, thinking an axe-type weapon might suit him better.

I found a wooden battleaxe in the training area, weighing two or three pounds, and handed it to him.

"Try this."

Thud! Thud!

"Hahaha! This axe feels amazing!" Bernhardt exclaimed with confidence.

Finding a suitable weapon seemed to transform him. For the first time, he could exchange a few blows with me. Wielding the axe felt natural and exhilarating.

Clang! Snap!

Indeed, he was a natural with axes. His strength and speed improved significantly compared to before.

My palms tingled from the impact.

Bernhardt wielded the axe with the ferocity of a bear, making it difficult to approach him. However, his movements still lacked polish, leaving him manageable.

"Raaaah!" I unleashed my full strength, my eyes seemingly gleaming with a hint of killing intent as I focused on his weapon.

The wooden sword struck the wooden axe cleanly, splitting the lightweight handle in two. Using the momentum, I raised my sword for a decisive overhead slash.

In that instant, as his axe shattered, Bernhardt froze momentarily.

The seriousness in my gaze made him feel as if he were on a battlefield fighting for his life. If he didn't act now, I might truly kill him!

Sweating profusely, he summoned all his courage, instinctively dropping to one knee and using the broken axe handle to block his head.

Crack!

!!!

The shattered axe handle splintered further under the strike. Bernhardt closed his eyes tightly, bracing for the pain. But none came. Instead, my wooden sword cut through the air just above him, close enough that he must have felt the wind of its passage.

When Bernhardt opened his eyes, I was catching my breath.

"Well done!"

I sheathed the wooden sword, a satisfied smile on my face, and extended a hand to him.

"..."

Bernhardt grinned, grasping my hand tightly as he stood.

"Well done, kid!"

"Good fight! Hahaha!"

The surrounding area suddenly buzzed with noise. It turned out our sparring match had attracted a group of knights and squires who were practicing nearby.

Kadi was among them, nodding at me with an approving smile.

His deep blue eyes harbored a chilling aura, quietly brewing plans I won't likely like.

"Hey, whose squires are these? The knight they follow must be impressive!"

"Yeah, who's their knight?"

The knights were eager to challenge whoever we served.

"We're from the Glance family," I replied, glancing at Kadi. I hadn't forgotten our current alias.

"The Glance family?"

"Never heard of them."

"Are they new?"

Kadi turned and walked away, wanting no part in the endless challenges of battle-obsessed knights.

---

Meals in the army were served three times a day.

After breakfast, Bernhardt and I helped Kadi don his armor. These tasks were usually handled by one of his attendants, so as squires, we mostly waited outside, following him to the stables for riding practice.

Occasionally, there were knightly melees for sparring. However, due to the ongoing war and the high risk of knights being fatally injured by their own comrades rather than the enemy, Midor had banned such competitions for the time being.

After practicing riding, our day was packed with activities. In the morning, we trained in javelin throwing. After a short rest following lunch, we practiced swimming.

In the afternoon, we engaged in hunting, chasing rabbits or chickens released in the training field, aiming to shoot the most while on horseback using bows or crossbows.

When these activities concluded, it was time for tea—playing chess or composing poetry, the favored pastimes of young nobles.

Commoners, being mostly illiterate, spent this time maintaining their weapons, drinking, arm-wrestling, or visiting nearby towns to gamble or seek other forms of entertainment.