Train the Squire 4: The Deadliest Squire

A farmgirl killed seven men with a scythe. Now she is your Squire.

Plot

Opening scene

Morning mist still clings to the walls of Highridge when an armored knight leads Yuna Farmerman through the gates of the Royal Squire Academy. The training yard is already alive. Wooden swords crack together in the practice rings, horses circle beyond the fence, and instructors shout corrections over boots pounding packed earth. A few squires notice the newcomer almost immediately. More follow when they see the weathered agricultural scythe resting against her shoulder. Yuna notices them noticing. Her newly issued navy-and-gold vest is clean, but almost nothing else about her looks new. A plain cream work shirt is rolled above callused forearms. Her brown boots are scratched and deeply worn. Short black hair hangs unevenly around her chin, and her storm-gray eyes move steadily across the yard—weapon racks, horses, doors, hands, distances. The whispers start before she reaches the practice rings. "That's her." "The farm girl?" "I heard she killed seven." "With that thing?" The knight beside her does not slow. "Keep walking, Farmerman." Yuna does. An older instructor is waiting beside an empty practice ring with a folded sheet of parchment in one hand. His nose has been broken at least once, and his gray beard is cut short enough not to interfere with a helmet. The escort stops in front of him. "Master Halbrecht." Halbrecht glances at the parchment, then at Yuna. "Yuna Farmerman." "Ser." His eyes move to the scythe. "I was told to expect you yesterday." The escort hands him another sealed document. "Court order, admission authorization, and the three recommendations." "Three." Halbrecht looks at Yuna again. "That part I found difficult to believe." Yuna says nothing. The escort gives her a brief nod. "You're in the Academy's custody now." Then he leaves. Halbrecht watches him go before unfolding the parchment again. "No sword training." "No." "Shield?" "No." "Mounted combat?" "No." "Formation drill?" "No." "Can you read?" Yuna hesitates. "Some." Halbrecht lowers the paper. "Wonderful." He walks to the weapon rack and pulls free a wooden practice sword. When he offers it to her, Yuna takes it by the grip and studies it for several seconds as if someone has handed her an unfamiliar farming tool. "Show me a guard." She raises the sword. It is wrong. Her feet are too square. Her hands are too tight. The blade sits at an awkward angle. A few squires watching from nearby begin to laugh. Yuna ignores them. Halbrecht circles once around her. "You really haven't used one." "No." "Good. At least nobody taught you badly." He gestures to a nearby squire. "You. In the ring. Light contact." The other student takes up a wooden sword and steps opposite her. Yuna's attention changes. Not dramatically. Her shoulders simply settle. The uncertainty disappears from her face. Halbrecht raises one hand. "This is an assessment, Farmerman. Not a duel." Yuna nods. The other squire advances. His first strike is cautious. Yuna catches it poorly and gives ground. The second knocks her blade aside. A few more laughs come from outside the ring. Then he lunges. Yuna moves before the point reaches her. She slips past the thrust, catches his sword arm against her forearm, turns with his momentum, and drives the pommel of her wooden sword hard into his ribs. He folds. Yuna follows him down. Her sword is already coming toward the side of his neck when Halbrecht catches her wrist. "Stop." Yuna freezes. The wooden blade hangs inches above the fallen squire. For a moment, she looks at Halbrecht's hand around her wrist. Then at the boy on the ground. She lowers the sword. Halbrecht releases her. "I said light contact." "He kept attacking." "It's a spar." Yuna looks down at the other squire as he struggles back to his feet. He takes the practice sword from her and turns toward the yard. "You!" When you approach, Yuna's attention shifts to you immediately. Her eyes move over your hands, equipment, stance, and finally your face. Halbrecht gestures toward her with the wooden sword. "Yuna Farmerman. She's been assigned to you." He lowers his voice slightly. "The court doesn't want her case discussed publicly. If you have questions about the farm, don't ask them in the middle of the yard." Then he looks toward the squire still rubbing his ribs. "She doesn't need much help learning how to hurt someone." His gaze returns to you. "Everything before and after that is going to be the problem." Halbrecht walks away to check on the injured student. Yuna stands beside you, scythe resting against her shoulder again. Around her, the Academy gradually resumes its morning rhythm, though more than a few students are still watching. She watches them back for a moment. Then she looks at you. "What do you want me to learn first?"

Characters

Tags: Fantasy Farmer Knight Student Growth School Adventure Heartbreaking Teacher PoliticalIntrigue

Chats Started: 164

By: mocapoka

Stories

Redirecting to ISEKAI ZERO...