Ten hours before meeting Krint, Vinter successfully caught a training sword with his body, all because Zertera, his teacher, never spared him, even when he suffered a serious injury.
Wincing from the painful blow, he thought, "Damn it! I missed that same blow again, in the same place."
– Vinter! If you don't get up now, I'll take a real sword. He said in a slightly high-pitched, almost feminine voice that echoed from under his helmet. Zertera stood over the fallen Vinter, who was writhing from the blow to his stomach.
– Ahem, I'm getting up! Just please, no real sword. He glanced at his teacher's helmet.
– Hmm, then why do you have a real sword, and I have a training sword? Don't you feel that's unfair?
– Ahem... As one brilliant swordsman said, there is no such thing as unfairness, only weakness."Yeah, right, that brilliant swordsman is beating me half to death, not those damn Elves."
– Ha, whoever said that was a true genius, so since you yourself expressed that opinion, I will stop holding back, since there is no such thing as unfairness.
As soon as Zertera finished speaking, Vinter heard a soft laugh coming from inside the helmet, followed by the sharp clang of metal as the sword slid roughly yet elegantly out of Zertera scabbard.
– Haaa it seems I will leave this world sooner than I would have liked."
No sooner had he thought about the approaching death than his teacher's sword flashed above him.
This caused him to roll sharply to the side, landing on one bent leg and braced with the knee of the other against the ground.
– I understand everything, of course, but maybe you should warn me first!?
– But that wouldn't be fair, would it?
"You had to mention fairness, Vinter, even in front of this monster in human form."
– Master, you are stronger than me anyway, so you could play along with your student a little. "I beg you, seven dragons, or whatever you are, make him understand."
– Hmm, it's true, I am stronger than any enemy that stands in your way. Do you think I will save you again?"
Having said that, he sharply turned the blade of his sword back, crouched slightly and made a sharp lunge towards Vinter.
This caused Vinter to start looking for his sword, hoping to somehow increase his chances of survival.
"Fuck. Where's my sword!?"Glancing around, he finally spotted his sword, but it was behind Zertera .
– Master, look over there, holy man! He pointed sharply at the front door, causing Vinter to pause for a moment and say.
– Oh, my poor Vinter, if there were a saint here, you would already be lying face down on the floor."
Vinter exhaled, closed his eyes, and spread his arms to the sides. "I hope it will be a quick death."
However, just as Zertera was about to strike him with the back of his sword, none other than Commander Hilshes, the saint's right-hand man and Zerta's master, burst into the training hall.
"Zertera ! ... Mmm, ahem, I won't even ask what's going on here, but follow me quickly and grab your student."Heh-heh, oh great seven dragons, I never doubted you!" He smiled, but a moment later, a sword strike flew at him.
– Vinter, you're the dumbest and luckiest person I know."He struck Vinter again with his sword. – Get up quickly and follow me.
– Master, the second blow was unnecessary. "With that, he rubbed his head, which ached slightly from the blow.
– You think so? Well, as far as I'm concerned, it was worth it for a sight like that. He pointed to Hilshes, who was walking along, barely able to contain his laughter.
– If it were a saint or the head himself, I would have thought twice, but it's just Commander Hilshes.
– Ha-ha, oh Vinter, you still have so much to learn to understand everything.
"Understand what? That everyone here is a little crazy, or that I'm just like you?" He thought again in his silly manner, which earned him a blow from the master's sword sheath.
– Hey, it still hurts!
– That's because you started thinking again, so learn to do first and think later.
– Yes, but isn't it the other way around? He tilted his head slightly and looked at the master.
– But not in your case, because by the time you think, you'll be chopped up three times and burned six times with magic.
"Ha! They'll chop me up? Only you, master, but magic is the worst thing that could happen to me."His face changed uncontrollably as he thought these thoughts, first a slight smile, then irritation.
– Hey! Vinter, we're already at Hilshes office, so get out of your thoughts.
– Master, how could you think that after such caring words I could sink back into my thoughts?
As he spoke these words, he thrust his chest forward and, as dramatically as he could, placed his hand on his chest and rose slightly on his toes.
– You know... I sometimes regret saving you that day.
– Hmm, why only sometimes?
Zertera exhaled and opened the door to the office, in the middle of which stood people who, with a single flick of their fingers, could leave Vinter with nothing he had.
Zertera froze for a moment at the sight of these people, while Vinter stood transfixed, as if he were facing not people, but the most terrifying thing in the world.
– Knight Zertera greets the Head of the Order and the Holy Fang! As he spoke, he struck his chest plate with his hand and bowed as low as he could.
– ... Oh! The young apprentice greets the Head of the Order and the Holy Fang! Vinter repeated the same gesture as his master, only less elegantly.
– Ho-ho, Zertera, you have trained your student well, for he has overcome his fear of us and greeted us.
– O Holy Fang, thank you for your kind words, but he still has a long way to go.
– As we all do, as we all do.
– Melkwir, you can rejoice for your order later, but now it is time to move on to serious matters.
– Forgive me, my lord, but I haven't seen my people in a long time, and some of them for the first time.
"Vinter, please don't do anything stupid, I beg you! Oh, damn it, I'm begging myself, I'm definitely becoming one of them."Fear of such people made him sweat and tremble slightly.
– Zertera, you can let your student go, look how pale he's become and how he's started to shake.
– Vinter, you heard the words of Saint Fang, so you can go."
– Thaank you for caring about Saint Fang!" "Hooray! I'm saved, today I'm definitely the favourite of the gods."
After saying these words, he awkwardly reached for the handle, but noticed Zertera glancing at him even through his helmet.
– The young apprentice bids farewell to the Head and Saint Fang and wishes them all the best.
"Damn it! After this, I'm definitely dead... Well, I had to forget about it."
– Ho-ho, Zertera, don't be angry with him, and Vinter, don't worry, we have good doctors.
Hearing this, he began to shake even more, but that didn't stop him from quickly opening the door and running away faster than ever before.
****
Almost five hours after Vinter fled Hilshes' office, he was found by Zerta, who crept up behind him in his armour and lightly struck him on the cheek with the hilt of his sword, causing him to fall to the floor.
– For God's sake! Master, don't ever do that again. "Fuck! A little more and I would have had to go buy a new pair of trousers."
– So our 'young apprentice' has started believing in holy things? Do you think the saints will help heal what I'm going to do to you?!"
– But I didn't do anything, except forget to say goodbye to the Holy One and the Head of the Order… As he spoke these words, he slowly got to his knees so as not to anger Zerteraeven more.
– Besides that, you forgot something else. Can you guess what it is, or shall I tell you?
– Ahem, in such a difficult situation, it's better to tell you. "Come on, dragons, don't let me down this time!"
– You fo-rg-ot to say goodbye to your master.
– There is no forgiveness for this pathetic student! Therefore, I will accept any punishment with dignity, except for death, sparring, running through the mountains, and polishing your armour."
– Oh, Vinter, you have no idea how close you are to the death penalty, but you are lucky again, which annoys me greatly. However, by order of Saint Fang, I am going with him, and you are going to the Bartian Mountains.
– Wait, wait, what do you mean you're going, and I'm going to the mountains?
– That's what it means! It also means that you'll be on your own for about six months, which annoys me even more.
"Haha, I'm finally free! Free from this monster." A small tear of joy rolled down his cheek at this thought.
– I hope it's a tear of sorrow, because otherwise... you'd better not know what will happen.
– Master, of course it's a tear of sadness and grief! Because I already miss you, and you haven't even left yet!
– Beautiful words, so that you will miss me even more, let's finish our morning sparring.
– All right, just give me a moment.
Having said that, he began to run with all his might, hoping that Zertera, in his armour, would not be able to catch up with him.
"Please, don't let him catch me! Just don't let him catch me..."
Before he could even finish his thought, he was already in the air from a sharp blow to the stomach from Zertera, who shamelessly used the runic spells on his armour that gave him speed and strength.
The unexpected blow made him cough, and as he fell, he hit his head on Zertera's leg.
– I told you, you still don't know enough. Besides, it seems that someone doesn't want to have a farewell fight with their master.
– Noо, I just wanted to warm up.
"Who would have thought that the order uses magic! And this monster too."
– Vinter, your face is giving away your thoughts again. He leaned over him, looked him over, grabbed him sharply by the collar, and pulled his student back.
– Mmm, master, I can walk on my own. "Especially considering the fact that escape is hopeless."
– I know, and I also know that you will not run away any more, but this is part of your training.
Relaxing and folding his arms across his chest, he looked at Zerta.
– Master, am I not too old for such training?
– You're only 22, so don't worry, and besides, it will be a good lesson for when you train your own student.
– Ha-ha, my own student, Master, I didn't know you could joke. Oh, I mean...
Before he could apologise, Zertera lightly kicked him on the right side of his torso.
– Honestly, Vinter, sometimes I think you're my punishment for past sins.
– Oh, you must have sinned a lot if I became your student, haha!
After these words, Zertera kicked him again on the right side and continued to drag him silently until they returned to the place from which Vinter had fled.
– Get your sword! Otherwise, my dark side will take care of your training.
– Wait, wait, so before that it was the caring and gentle side? As he said this, he was still lying on the ground with his arms folded across his chest.
– That's right, so I think you understand what awaits you.
He wanted to say something and even opened his mouth, but at the last moment he realised it was better to remain silent and get his sword, so he got up and brushed the street dust off his clothes, then pulled out his sword with almost no difficulty.
– Well done, sometimes even you can do something right!
Standing in a fighting stance, he bent slightly and, holding the hilt with both hands, thrust his sword forward, then made a sharp lunge towards Zertera, but the latter used only his gauntlet to deflect the sword to the right.
Then he sharply grabbed the blade of the sword with his gauntlet, which consisted of chain mail on the palm and metal plates on top, and sharply pulled Vinter's sword behind his back, and as soon as it followed the momentum, Zerta's left hand slammed into his jaw.
A moment later, Vinter was on the ground, and the sword was in Zerta's hands.
– You still fight poorly against people in full armour, Vinter.
– Ahem... well, sorry, most people aren't monsters like... Just don't hit me on the head.
Zertera looked at him, drew his sword with a swift movement, and began to slowly approach Vinter, who in turn slowly crawled away from the evil figure of Zertera.
– Where are you crawling off to, my dear student?
I'm not crawling anywhere!
At these words, he froze, because his master was already beside him and struck his student sharply but gently on the head.
– Fear is normal, but being afraid of your master is a good decision.
– I will remember these words, master!
– Well done, and now I will tell you what the Holy Fang said: You must go to the Bartian Mountains to find the Elves who have strayed from their group.
– Elves... Should I kill them or capture them?
– If it were necessary to capture them, no one in their right mind would send you, so kill absolutely everyone.
– Your student will complete this task so quickly that you will be proud of me!
– And remember, after the task, you must return here, otherwise you know what will happen.
Having said these words, Zertera placed his hand on Vinter's shoulder and patted it lightly, then walked away without turning back to Holy Fang.