A Medieval Knight in a Martial Arts Novel – Chapter 9

—————————————————————–
Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Shrine
—————————————————————–

◇◇◇◆◇◇◇

“Is everyone gathered?”

“Yes!”

“Why are you here?”

The Sect Leader looked at me with a face asking my purpose. Naturally, the disciples also turned their heads and looked at me with curious eyes.

Of course, it wasn’t strange for them to look at me like this.

After all, I was intervening in the sect’s business.

If I gathered the kids from my sect and an outsider was brazenly mixed in, I would also look at them with eyes that said, ‘Who the hell is this guy?’

“I came to lend a hand.”

“This is something our Haenam Sword Sect must do. We can’t trouble a guest, so please go back.”

No way.

I have to rob the Japanese pirates for the money to make a sword.

With such an absolute reason, I couldn’t afford to back down, so I spoke again.

“I also owe a debt of gratitude to the Haenam Sword Sect, so I will lend my strength.”

“That won’t do.”

The Sect Leader refused my request with a resolute voice.

As if displeased with the Sect Leader’s refusal, some familiar voices rang out from both sides of me.

“He’s right, Sect Leader! Sir William is an outstanding swordsman, so he will definitely be of some help…”

“That’s right!”

“You two, be quiet…”

The Sect Leader sighed as he alternately looked at Mu-guang and Hye-ryeong.

“The Haenam Sword Sect doesn’t mobilize guests for such matters. This is an iron rule not only for us but also for the martial sects of the Central Plains, so please understand.”

In other words, is it because of the sect’s reputation?

Because the Haenam Sword Sect could be branded as a sect lacking in ability to the extent of mobilizing even guests.

In the first place, I guess the situation of sending guests for such matters would make the sect look bad in many ways…

I, too, had been a member of a knight order that was treated as an elite, so I knew very well what the Sect Leader meant.

However, in the current situation, doing nothing was out of the question.

I had to participate in the battle against the Japanese pirates, at least to gather funds to make a sword. It would also be good to gain favor with Blacksmith Baek, the best blacksmith of the Haenam Sword Sect, while I was at it.

But it seemed he wouldn’t let me join with any old excuse.

What would be a good excuse…

Ah.

“Sect Leader, didn’t the Japanese pirates invade Haenam Island by ship? From the west, at that?”

“That’s right.”

“It is a well-known fact that they are from Japan. But the fact that they came from the west means they either deliberately took a detour or attacked Haenam Island on their way back after plundering Vietnam, doesn’t it?”

“Hmm…”

At least he’s reacting more favorably than before. I continued speaking to persuade the Sect Leader.

“Then there might be comrades who were on my ship.”

“The possibility is low. I don’t think they would… keep a foreigner alive.”

The Sect Leader once again expressed a negative reaction to my persuasion.

It wasn’t strange.

To be honest, the possibility was low.

No, it was actually close to 0%.

The fact that I was a knight who could use aura played a big role in me drifting all the way to Haenam Island in the vast sea and being rescued.

But the reason I was expressing this opinion was to create a justification for me to join the Haenam Sword Sect’s Japanese pirate extermination without being a hindrance.

“But the possibility isn’t completely zero, is it? I can protect myself, so I will just accompany the martial artists of the Haenam Sword Sect.”

“…Alright.”

It worked.

With a decent justification, even the Sect Leader had no choice but to allow me to accompany them.

Of course, it was a reason I had come up with on the spot, so if he wanted to find fault, there would be plenty of loopholes.

Or he could have refused just by saying he would search for them on my behalf.

But he seemed to have changed his mind after seeing the determination in my eyes.

“Instead, keep that promise well.”

“Thank you.”

At least I got permission.

So I brazenly added one more request.

“Is it possible to receive a suitable weapon? I think I’ll need one for self-defense…”

“Alright. Choose a suitable weapon from the armory.”

“Thank you.”

With this, the immediate problems are about half-solved.

Even if there were many Japanese pirates, their numbers wouldn’t be in the thousands, and since the Haenam Sword Sect was also moving out in the hundreds, the probability of a dangerous battle was low.

The Japanese pirates’ level would be at most second-rate.

So if I swung my sword a few times near Hye-ryeong and caught the eye of the blacksmith named Baek Cheol, it would suffice.

The variable would be if there was a master among the Japanese pirates… but would such a person even bother with plundering?

Whether in the West or the East, if you were a skilled master, there would be plenty of places trying to recruit you.

“Elder Baek-hyun will guide you to the armory.”

“Yes, I understand.”

Did he assign him because we were somewhat acquainted? I made eye contact with Mu-guang’s master and quietly stepped back.

The objective had already been achieved.

“Consider this matter settled… Children of Haenam, have you heard the news that the despicable Japanese pirates have invaded our island?”

“Yes!”

The resounding voices of the martial artists mercilessly struck my ears. Watching that scene from behind, memories of my knight days came to mind.

[Rookie! Pull yourself together! Do you want to die?!]

[No, sir!]

[Stay sharp and be careful not to lose your weapon! The moment you lose it, not only you but your comrades will perish too!]

…How long ago was this memory?

The corners of my mouth twitched, recalling the time when I too was a greenhorn.

—

“I’ll take this sword.”

“It’s an old sword. The quality isn’t that great either… Are you sure you want this one?”

“Yes. This sword is sufficient.”

As Elder Baek-Hyun said, the sword I picked up had a layer of dust on it, probably from being left in the armory for a long time. I swung the sword in the air a few times to shake off the dust and checked its condition.

The center of balance is slightly off.

It seems there was a defect from the beginning, but they managed to forge it without melting it down.

The only advantage is that the handle and the blade are long… The shape and appearance are so different from the swords used by the Haenam Sword Sect, so why did they make a sword like this?

For experimentation?

Or… was there a sword technique in the Haenam Sword Sect that used a sword like this?

No. What’s the point of thinking about that?

There’s already a mountain of work piled up, so I shouldn’t add unnecessary worries.

“Then let’s depart soon. The disciples will be waiting.”

We immediately left the armory and headed to where the prepared disciples were lined up.

When the martial artists gathered in the training ground saw me appear with a sword that seemed about %50 longer than the ones they used, they looked at me with curious eyes.

“Are all foreigners that big?”

“It’s clearly a large sword, but it looks the same as the swords we hold…”

“Just his height seems to exceed six feet, so it’s natural. Even the martial artists who seem big would shrink in front of that foreigner.”

I can hear everything, you dwarfs.

“Uncle! Did you get a sword?”

“I received one that will suffice temporarily.”

“This sword is similar in length to me.”

When Hye-ryeong playfully stood right next to me, I held the sword vertically to check the height difference between Hye-ryeong and the sword.

Hmm, roughly a span difference.

At a glance, it looked shorter than the sword I used to use, but looking at it like this, I guess the difference wasn’t that big.

If I made this sword about half a span longer, it would be just right.

Considering the average longsword length, that would be on the longer side, but considering my physique, that length would be perfect.

“Sir William. You found a sword.”

“One needs a sword for self-defense.”

“Ahem, enough chitchat. We need to depart soon, so stop talking.”

At the Sect Leader’s words, we closed our mouths and fixed our gazes on him.

The Sect Leader looked around at the orderly lined-up disciples of the Haenam Sword Sect with a serious face and shouted.

“Disciples of the Haenam Sword Sect! The despicable Japanese pirates have once again invaded our homeland! The time has come to clearly show those beasts whose island this is and who is protecting it! Everyone, raise your swords!”

“Waaaaah!”

“Hajin!”

“Yes, Sect Leader!”

“You lead the advance party and depart! Reach the village as quickly as possible, assess the situation, and if there are Japanese pirates, immediately exterminate them. Understood?”

“Yes!”

The martial artists at the very front disappeared from the training ground in an instant.

What light and nimble movements.

Is that a movement technique of the martial arts world?

It was quite impressive since it was my first time seeing it properly. In the West, wearing armor and riding horses was the norm, so movement techniques weren’t well-developed.

There were footwork techniques and some movements performed in unity with horses, but…

“The rear party will depart now, carrying these supply bundles.”

The Sect Leader pointed to the bundles piled up in front of the training ground.

Sniffing the scent, there was a subtle bitter smell.

Field rations?

I wondered why they were sending a party late, but it turned out they were carrying supplies.

The Sect Leader seemed to know well what was important in war.

“Got everything?”

“Yes!”

“Then let’s depart! Don’t fall behind and follow!”

Starting with the Sect Leader, the rear party shouldered the bundles and headed towards the main gate of the Haenam Sword Sect.

Hye-ryeong and Mu-guang also moved with them.

I quietly watched their figures from behind and started following them.

◇◇◇◆◇◇◇