Mastery Is Earned

After a night’s rest, the caravan was busy again early the next morning. Once they had loaded the hides, vegetables, firewood, eggs, and other supplies received in trade from the village, they set out along the same road back. When they passed through the other two villages the day before, they had only unloaded goods. After a night to prepare, those villages had gathered the lumber, vegetables, and hides they intended to exchange, ready for the caravan to collect on its return to Blackstone.

The journey back went smoothly for the most part. The only complication arose at the second village, where the goods prepared by the villagers came up slightly short of the value of the farming tools and cloth delivered the previous day. The village head argued with Bob for a while before finally ordering someone to bring several more hides. Most were loaded onto the donkey carts. The finest one, however, he slipped directly into Bob’s hands.

Without batting an eye, Bob tucked the hide beneath his seat, picked up his charcoal pencil, and struck the shortfall from his ledger. Raymond saw everything but asked no questions. He simply committed the incident to memory.

Apart from that minor episode, nothing else went wrong along the way. Their pace was noticeably faster on the return journey. There was still some time before dusk when the caravan arrived back in town. Once the donkey carts safely entered the center of Blackstone, Raymond’s work as a guard was complete. The caravan paid him eighty copper coins for the trip.

That certainly sounded like a lot, considering an ordinary laborer earned only twenty or thirty copper over two days. But mercenaries like Raymond not only had to provide their own weapons, they also assumed the risk of combat and even paid for their own food on the road. He now had two silver coins and several dozen copper left. It seemed like a considerable sum. But if he continued staying in a private room and eating meat as before, the money would probably last only seven days.

Since it was still early, Raymond first visited the physician who had been treating his wounds. After examining him, the physician confirmed that the wounds on his left arm and chest were healing well. The scabs were stable, with no signs of redness, swelling, or pus. As long as Raymond did not tear the wounds open again, he would no longer need to have the dressings changed every day. Once he knew the wounds were unlikely to become infected, he could finally reduce the largest part of his daily expenses: lodging.

He could accept moving into the shared dormitory for three copper a night, crowded onto straw-covered wooden platforms with day laborers, drivers, and unemployed mercenaries. What he absolutely could not accept was cutting his food expenses. He knew that proper training alone was not enough to strengthen his body. Adequate food was equally essential.

Of course, given his current finances, the money he spent on food needed to go toward things that truly filled his stomach and restored his strength. He could not indulge himself as he had on his first day back in town.

After returning to the inn, Raymond told Sophie he would not renew his private room and planned to move into the shared dormitory for three copper a night. Then he ordered dinner. The meal contained no whole cuts of roast meat or roast chicken, only beans stewed with minced meat, eggs, and black bread. The food was simple but plentiful. The eggs, beans, and small amount of meat would be enough to support his upcoming training.

After finishing dinner, Raymond asked Sophie to keep an eye out for any suitable work. Before dark, he packed another portion of food and hurried to Carter’s home. Carter was relieved to see Raymond return safely. After a brief conversation, they decided to begin formal sword training the next day and also cover how to maintain a weapon properly.

Before leaving, Raymond once again entrusted most of his coins to Carter for safekeeping. The shared dormitory was full of strangers. Raymond intended to carry only enough loose change for the next few days. Back at the inn, Raymond found a corner in the dormitory and placed his weapons within easy reach. Then, enduring the stench of sweat and the sound of snoring, he fell into a deep sleep.

Few guests at the inn were willing to pay for breakfast in the morning. Most day laborers simply grabbed a piece of black bread before hurrying out to search for work. Raymond, however, sat down to eat before training. As usual, he ordered two boiled eggs and a large bowl of oat porridge with beans and offal. It cost only four copper coins.

After eating his fill, Raymond packed another portion and brought it to Carter’s home. Once Carter finished eating, the two began the day’s training. The new sword differed from Raymond’s previous weapon in length, weight, and handling. After practicing with it over the past several days, he had already begun to adapt.

Carter did not have him mechanically repeat the entire sequence. Instead, he separated cuts, blocks, and thrusts, focusing on correcting Raymond’s positioning, center of gravity, and use of force. Following Carter’s instructions, Raymond slowed down and adjusted each movement repeatedly, correcting the problems Carter identified one by one.

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His progress remained obvious, but as his fundamental movements gradually stabilized, simple repetition began to produce fewer new gains. His Proficiency increased only occasionally, when Carter pointed out a new mistake or had him try a different transition between movements.

Four days passed in the blink of an eye.

[Basic Swordsmanship Lv. 1 (63/100)]

That morning, Raymond absentmindedly ate his bean porridge while calculating how much money he had left. Just then, a hand suddenly landed on his shoulder. Raymond’s shoulders and back instantly tensed, and his right hand instinctively reached for the shortsword at his waist.

“Good heavens. You eat this stuff first thing in the morning—and that much of it?”

The familiar voice behind him stopped Raymond from drawing his sword. He turned and found Teddy standing there with a cheeky grin.

“What is it? Do you need something?” Raymond turned slightly and brushed Teddy’s hand from his shoulder, his tone cool.

Teddy curled his lip unhappily at Raymond’s attitude. “That’s how you treat me? I took a commission and wanted someone to come along. You were the first person I thought of, and this is the welcome I get? The least you could do is buy me something good to eat and a couple of drinks.”

Raymond did not answer. He merely lowered his head and continued eating his porridge. He did not believe Teddy’s claims, nor would he waste money on an empty promise. Besides, he was hardly wealthy at present.

Seeing Raymond remain silent, Teddy clicked his tongue in dissatisfaction. In the end, however, he sighed. “Fine, I’ll stop teasing you. There really is a job this time. I came to you because we get along!”

He continued sulkily, “There’s a quarry near Blackstone, just over two hours away. We need to deliver some goods there. Are you coming or not? Don’t say I never give you opportunities.”

“What’s the pay? And where’s the client?” Rather than agreeing immediately, Raymond asked for the details.

“One silver coin. Half for each of us. We bring our own food, and we’ll be back the same day. Sounds fine, doesn’t it?” Teddy said.

Raymond considered the explanation briefly but did not agree. “I want to meet the client first.”

Teddy’s face instantly fell. “I told you everything in detail. Why do you still not trust me?”

Raymond shook his head. “Business is business. Friendship is friendship. They’re two separate matters.”

When Raymond refused to yield, Teddy could only pull a long face. Ultimately, he had nothing to say. Once Raymond quickly finished his meal, the two left the inn and headed toward the center of town. Their client was a respectable merchant whose shop stood in the town center. He appeared to be fairly prosperous.

The moment Raymond and Teddy entered, the merchant, who had been busy working, greeted them with a smile. “You’re Raymond?”

“You know me?” Raymond was surprised. He did not remember having any dealings with a merchant like this.

“Bob mentioned you when he returned. He said you were steady and didn’t panic when trouble arose,” the merchant explained with a smile. “I originally sent a clerk to look for you at the Blackstone Inn. Your friend here happened to overhear and said he knew you and could bring you directly to me.”

Raymond could not help glancing at Teddy, who was casually inspecting the shelves to one side. But he let nothing show. After a moment of thought, he asked, “What exactly does the commission involve, and how much does it pay?”

“All you need to do is deliver this chest to the quarry and hand it over to the man in charge there.”

The merchant lifted a wooden chest from behind the counter and placed it before Raymond. “After he verifies the wax seal on the chest, he’ll give you a copper badge as proof. Bring the badge back, and the commission is complete.”

Raymond examined the chest. Its lid was firmly locked, and a strip of paper sealed with wax covered the seam. It appeared quite secure.

A simple wooden carrying frame was fixed to the back, along with two broad leather straps, allowing the chest to be worn like a pack. He tested its weight. The chest weighed under twenty-two pounds, so carrying it for two hours would not be particularly strenuous.

“And the pay?”

“One silver coin and twenty copper. Whether you hire another guide or helper is up to you. Just make sure it arrives today.”

One silver and twenty copper?

Raymond looked at Teddy, speechless. Teddy had heard the merchant as well, but with his customary thick skin, he simply looked away as though nothing had happened. The commission would take only half a day, yet the client was offering one silver and twenty copper, which was quite good. As for how much Teddy deserved, that would depend on what responsibilities each of them agreed to take on.

“Things have been unsettled outside town lately. I hear you’re quite a hand at dealing with goblins—that you even killed a Greater Goblin,” the merchant said curiously.

At that, the previously distracted Teddy whipped his head around. The surprise on his face clearly was not feigned.

“I didn’t kill it alone.” Raymond shook his head. “The monster was already badly wounded, and Captain Carter kept it occupied from the front. I only seized the opportunity to deliver the final blow.”

The merchant smiled and did not question him further.

Raymond looked at the chest once more. “All right. I’ll take the commission.”