"A letter has arrived from duke Longhurst, your majesty," Maxwell handed over a an envelope to Archibald.
Archibald read it intently.
"It seems that my son has really found quite a group. To think that THAT Reuben desires to help develop a teen he had just met and spent time together for just a few days."
He walked out to the balcony of his office.
On the left side, he could actually see the training ground of the knight trainees.
"Even this one is a commendable person. Those trainees have a range in age, some are older than him but he can take care of them just fine."
A few minutes after Richard was escorted to his location, Spencer was also escorted to the training ground of the knight trainees.
'Such oppressive aura,' he thought after getting in front in order to be introduced as another trainer to these aspiring knights.
Oppressive for those who are weaker is what he meant as this aura was still coming from the knight trainees.
Someone like him, who could be called a veteran, how can he be intimidated by this?
"You can call me Spencer or even teacher would be better," he introduced himself, gaining more sharp gazes even from the younger ones.
'Astral surely became quite a famous one with the knights. I can tell they all think that we are nothing but leeches,' he laughed in his head.
"Teacher!!"
He was stunned when someone actually called him teacher, despite the fact that he said that just to irritate them even more.
But he was even more bewildered when he noticed that the rest of the knights didn't look mad or even tried to reprimand the person who suddenly shouted. Spencer could tell that he was a younger one.
He looked around and found a group that is quite familiar to him.
"Kyle Longhurst, please refrain from shouting unnecessarily during assembly," the knight who must have been a trainer as well, reprimanded the one who spoke.
'Longhurst!!'
Spencer finally remembered just why the Longhurst name sounded familiar. It was these guys whom they met in the Dark Forest just a month or so ago.
Kyle grinned and Spencer shook his head.
"He will be the one training you with your swords. Listen to him."
With that, the knight left.
'Nice encouragement to listen to me,' Spencer thought looking at the back of the knight.
He clapped his hand and looked back at the trainees.
But just as he had expected, most were already having their own worlds, looking for a sparring partner.
"Good, spar with one another for now then."
He shrugged.
Unlike the others, Kyle's group rushed to his side.
"How come you are here?!?!" Kyle asked in excitement.
But his eyes were looking around.
"It doesn't seem like you are that happy to see me but instead you are happy to see me because it means that Richard could also be here."
Spencer knocked his knuckles at the top of Kyle's head.
Kyle laughed, "And?"
Spencer rolled his eyes, this one was not trying to hide the fact that he is indeed excited to know that Richard could be here.
"Well, he is not here."
Richard's face instantly drooped.
Even Patrick had that same reaction.
Spencer raised his hands and knocked at their heads, "You really are not thinking about my feelings, who is in front of you, are you?"
He was completely ignoring the looks that the other knights are giving him. They chose to ignore him why can't he do the same?
"What happened?" Eldon asked seriously.
"Things happened and here I am."
Eldon almost rolled his eyes at him.
Spencer laughed, "Spar with me first then I will tell you all what you wanted to know."
All four of them showed excitement in their eyes when he said that.
And those reactions did not escape the eyes who are looking at Spencer scrutinisingly.
Why are they reacting this way?
And how did they know this person?
There are commoners here as well and they actually wished to approach Spencer as well. But some of the knight trainees who are nobles are stopping them from doing so.
After all, they wanted to know how they rose in ranks and receive this privilege. If they are really strong or they used other ways to get the position they have now.
They were being oppressed that is an undeniable fact. No matter what they do, the nobles take precedence.
But they were instead in shock to see the excitement in the little duke's eyes after Spencer asked them for a spar.
Two of them are from families of dukedom.
Kyle Longhurst and Eldon Lidgett.
While Patrick Hill is from a family of marquis.
And the twins, Lilian and Julius Claudonia, came from a family of count.
To think that these nobles are reacting this way with him, looking so excited about him asking them for a spar.
Just who is this person?
"By twos. Patrick and Kyle. Followed by Eldon and Lilian."
Eldon's eyes turned sharp.
Spencer raised his chin, he is actually challenging this person as well.
The more you fight alongside the person you ended up hurting, the more you will be able to get over the fear of hurting them again.
Since he did not get the chance to say this back then, why don't he teach it now?
The other three did not notice anything and were eagerly waiting for the beginning of their spar.
Spencer raised his sword while one hand was behind him.
"I'll give you a handicap."
Patrick and Kyle almost pouted at him. Though they admit that he is far stronger than them with sword, but isn't this a bit too much?
"Help me out here. I need to show results you know. If those people ignore me, how can I show one? I just realized that you guys are high ranking nobles. How can I pass on that opportunity?"
"Fine," Kyle huffed.
Though they knew that this handicap won't give them much in gaining an upper hand against him, even if it was a two against one.
Spencer smiled and gestured for them to start.
The two attacked at the same time but Spencer was able to parry one with his sword while the other was kicked before his sword could even get close.
With a flip of his sword, he twisted his body to hit Kyle, whose sword he had parried a while ago, at the back of his neck.
Kyle felt like he saw stars, ending up with him dropping on his knee.
Spencer turned to see that Patrick was still down from his kick.
"Did I get too serious with you guys?"
Eldon and Lilian glanced at one another before raising their hands at the same time.
"We don't want any beating," Lilian speaks up.
"Please just train us properly," she added.
Kyle and Patrick came to him seriously but in the end, Spencer took them down with just one attack!!
How can she do something about that?
Despite being a trainee, she was still lacking as compared to Kyle and Patrick.
Eldon has no confidence either.
Spencer scratched his head.
He was planning on taking it easy but he did not expect that they are this weak. Well, he did not really try to spar with them and only gave them a few pointers so he wouldn't know what they are truly capable of.
The rest of the knights who were planning to ignore him, turned to them in shock.
Though not the strongest in the group but Kyle and the rest weren't in the middle either. They were in second to the strongest of the knight trainees.
For them to be taken down just like that, it was impossible.
"Hey… spar with me."
Spencer turned and saw a bearded man coming over.
He can tell that this man is older than him.
He is bulky and has an aura that speaks of his strength.
'Oh, the strongest?' Spencer thought.
Obviously, he had already checked on each of them when he arrived. He can tell by their aura just how far they are in their sword skills.
This is something he developed over the years of fighting in the battlefield and the fights with the beasts.
"A broadsword. It doesn't seem like you have enough strength to wield it despite your body. Attacking it downwards against your opponent a while ago who is used in speed, would only result with them evading it far before it could reach them. But if you have strength then the downward motion would have been faster and stronger."
When they started grouping and sparring with one another while he speaks with Kyle and the rest, he was also assessing each of them.
"Shut up and spar with me."
Being hit at his sore spot, he rushed to attack Spencer.
Spencer would parry his sword when he attacks in different ways, other than when he attacks downwards. Spencer would always evade way before the sword could reach him.
The man was huffing after a few minutes of bout while Spencer was still the same.
"I told you, you need more strength in wielding that."
The rest of the knights were completely speechless. This seemingly laid back trainer that they looked down on because of the rumors among the knights that they climbed up ranks through sheer luck.