Calamity Dragon, Starting with the Cultivation of Knight Families

Chapter 30 Swamp Lord Knight Squire Training Camp
Swamp Territory, Baron's Training Grounds.

At this moment, Lucia was sitting quietly to the side, holding her two-month-old baby, watching York in the middle of the training field.

Meanwhile, in front of York, five mercenaries and squires were receiving his instruction.

These five mercenaries were five of the better mercenaries York recruited from the last battle.

York's training of these five mercenaries not only focused on martial arts skills, but also included training in so-called chivalry.

Humility, honor, sacrifice, courage, compassion, honesty, justice, spirituality.

As a squire, and as a reserve for a full knight, the cultivation of chivalry is essential.

After all, in this world, the so-called knight is not only about strength, but also often refers to the honor of the nobility.

York has been training these five mercenaries for nearly two months.

He felt he had said and done enough.

At least in appearance, these mercenaries, dressed in knight uniforms, already have the air of noble servants in their every move.

As for the interior, York, being an adult, doesn't really care about that.

After all, these guys are mercenaries by trade, and being too strict with them would backfire. So, if possible, York still prefers the knights and squires his family has trained since childhood.

Whether in terms of upbringing or manner of speaking, knights' squires trained from childhood are ultimately far superior to those who are trained later in life.

It's all about presence! It's all about presence!
But it doesn't matter.

Ultimately, York recruited these mercenaries as knights' squires in order to cultivate a force that belonged only to his own swamp territory.

As for the future, we can raise their descendants; in short, there's no need to be too demanding.

“You have trained very well these days, and you have finally developed the spirit and demeanor that a knight’s squire should have.”

"Next, at noon three days from now, I will gather all my subjects and, in front of everyone, ordain you as knights."

"Remember, after you are ordained, you will also be considered 'knights,' which means you are officially pledging allegiance to me and to the Smith family of Swamp Territory!"

York, clad in gleaming silver armor, exuded a stern aura. He then turned to one of the five mercenaries, a man with a particularly rugged appearance, and said:
"Paul, from now on, you will be the captain of the five!"

"Yes!"

Paul knelt on one knee and answered with a knightly salute.

As a seasoned mercenary, Paul is actually almost forty years old.

Although agreeing to join the Smith family of Swamp Territory was a spur-of-the-moment decision, it was also the result of careful consideration.

Because the swamp territory gave him a glimmer of hope.

Swamp Territory is the only new territory and new family established in the wasteland by the Silver Lion Duchy in the past decade.

Here, although the current population is small, life is relatively dull and lacks necessary entertainment.

There is even the risk of encountering a small swarm of animals gathering around them at any time.

But that's precisely why there's a greater need for manpower here, and why there's more room for experienced mercenaries like Paul to put their skills to use.

As long as the new family continues to establish merit in this new territory, they will have the opportunity to truly attempt the bloodline infusion ritual, thereby stepping into a transcendent realm that they never dared to imagine before.

As mercenaries, almost all of them are of very low status. Even though they have survived many near-death experiences, most of them still cannot afford to collect the minimum of one thousand gold coins required for a low-level bloodline infusion ritual in their lifetime.

Even a seasoned mercenary like Paul, with over a decade of experience surviving near-death experiences, only managed to save a little over a hundred gold coins.

Therefore, in this world, it is an extremely difficult thing to enter or even cross social classes.

Unless seasoned mercenaries are willing to take huge risks and form groups to hunt down rank-up magical beasts, they generally have a very difficult time getting the opportunity.

Not to mention that the bloodline infusion ritual itself carries the risk of failure and death.

Therefore, Paul's choice to become a knight squire was definitely a wise one in this world context.

Although joining the swamp territories requires them to pledge allegiance, or even sign a 'contract of servitude'.

But what they gained was a major life change. Even if they couldn't become knights in the end, their descendants would have more opportunities.

Unfortunately, Paul was a married man with two children. So even as a seasoned mercenary, Paul rarely took risks, let alone teamed up to hunt high-level magical beasts.

Therefore, joining the swamp territory was a safe choice for him.

Moreover, after experiencing the last battle, Paul understood one thing even more clearly.

That is, the situation in the Swamp Territory is not as dire as the outside nobles perceive it to be.

The third-tier magical beast, and the fact that York was actually a second-tier elite knight when he 'self-destructed' his contracted battle pet, plus the miracles that were rumored in the outside world.

All of this led Paul to make a firm decision.

Even if I make a mistake in judgment, so what?

There is no such thing as getting something for nothing in this world; everything is just a huge gamble.

To gain something, you must naturally give something in return.

This is perfectly normal in the adult world.

Moreover, based on Paul's understanding of the Swamp Territory over the past two months, he has become increasingly confident in it.

The head of the family, who possessed the strength of an elite knight at the age of 24.

A magical beast battle pet with Tier 3 strength, but definitely possessing high-level bloodlines.

At the same time, he also has the strong support of his master, Baron Galewind, and the favor of his wife, Viscount Callum.

Isn't all of this enough?
That's enough! More than enough!

Paul still remembers how intense the envious and jealous looks were from the other mercenaries when he was chosen by York as a knight's squire.

So even if, according to external predictions, the Western Region will once again face a beast tide in the Monster Mountain Range in about twenty years, so what?

A lot can change in twenty years.

With the gains from the previous battle, the development of the Swamp Territory is bound to make rapid progress in the coming years.

Therefore, Paul's gaze was very firm as he looked at the lord he served, the Baron.

At this moment, Yorke was also very satisfied looking at the determined and tough Paul in front of him.

"Excellent! Paul, I have high hopes for you! I hope you won't let me down in the future!"

“By the way, Paul, I remember you and your family are settled in the Colorado Heights, right?” York suddenly asked.

Paul nodded noncommittally: "Yes, Your Lordship."

Upon hearing this, York immediately smiled and said:
"Well, in that case, Paul, you can go then!"

"My training for you is now over. You can now go and bring your wife and children to settle in our swamp territory!"

"Of course you can all come together! But remember to return within three days."

"Alright, that's enough for today! Everyone, go and rest!"

Upon hearing York's words, the five prospective knights, including Paul, immediately responded with joy.

After Paul and his five friends hurriedly and excitedly left the training ground, all intending to immediately set off to pick up their families.

Only then did York have a chance to relax.

York removed his light armor and came to Lucia's side.

As he played with his newborn baby and chatted intimately with Lucia about matters of the territory, Lucia suddenly noticed that her husband, York, gave her a familiar look.

York stood there stunned for several breaths, then his face immediately lit up with excitement.

"Your Majesty has finally descended once again!"

"It's been almost a year!"

"Lucia, quick, take the child, let's go to see His Majesty together."

(End of this chapter)