Chapter 25: Preliminary Training

Aldo, Bas, and Kazak had spent years as manual laborers. While they were skilled in both heavy labor and brawling, they were quite unaccustomed to the nuances of plowing and farming. Consequently, Art did not intend for them to participate in the reclamation of the land, especially since these men were to be the core strength of his future foothold in these chaotic times.

After helping Old Cooper build a shack in the valley, Art began training Ron and the other three within the wooden fort. He did not subject these men—who only months ago had been farmers and laborers—to the rigorous knightly training he had received since childhood. For them, mastering the most practical methods of killing and self-defense was paramount. However, as they were to be his future core, Art did not want them to remain mere elite soldiers; thus, he selected the simplest and most effective components of his own training to pass on to them.

First was swordsmanship. For commoners of this era, learning a complete system of swordsmanship was an arduous task. Art, just as he had with Ron, taught them only the most practical movements inherited from his former self: hacking, slashing, thrusting, and blocking. Second, from a tactical perspective, beyond basic swordsmanship, each man learned to use weapons suited to his own strengths, such as long and short spears, battle-axes, heavy hammers, and long knives. Unlike swords, these weapons were not only cheaper and easier to acquire but also simpler to master and devastating in combat. Furthermore, as the first generation of his inner circle, Art set standards for Ron and the others that ordinary soldiers could never reach; daily, they had to practice with various weapons and engage in combat drills, and they were also required to take turns learning basic horsemanship, at least to the point of being able to gallop. Finally, and most difficult of all, was literacy. When Art proposed that they learn the common script, the men were stunned. They had never imagined learning to read, as literacy was the exclusive privilege of the nobility and the church. Moreover, they did not see how letters and knowledge could help them in a life defined by steel. Under Art's insistence, they reluctantly agreed, but the results were predictable: these men, who could swing battle-axes and heavy hammers as if they were extensions of their own arms, would only scratch their heads in bewilderment when faced with crooked, squiggling letters.

Once the initial training curriculum was set, the following days were spent sparring with wooden swords and clubs. Every day, they would end up with new bruises—though occasionally, Art himself was the one receiving the beating. In truth, if they charged him one by one, the four men were no match for Art. However, once they formed a mutually supportive formation, Art found himself hard-pressed, especially when Aldo, Bas, and Kazak worked together. Having frequently brawled as laborers, the trio moved with a tacit, rhythmic coordination that could often withstand Art’s sword-and-shield offense and occasionally even turn the tide. At night, in the wooden cabin, Art would attempt to teach them basic literacy and arithmetic, and every time, these sweat-drenched men would listen, struggling against exhaustion and stifling yawns.

To balance their spirits, Art would also lead them into the mountains to hunt. On one hand, it served as a practical exercise in formation and defensive coordination, fostering deeper camaraderie. On the other, the heavy labor and training led to a significant increase in the need for food, especially meat, and Art needed to secure the fort’s meager supplies. Under his command, every trip into the mountains yielded a wild boar, a goat, or a deer.

Half a month passed in this manner, and through daily training, the combat skills of Ron and the others improved, and their bond grew closer.

Under the leadership of Cooper, Scott, and Lawrence, the farmers in the fort worked in an orderly fashion to reclaim the wasteland. Despite Art’s hunting trips, the food stocks were only enough to last about twenty days. Two experiences of nearly being ambushed in the woods led Art to abandon the idea of sending Cooper and Scott north to buy grain. He decided to lead Ron and the other three to the villages and manors of Tynets County to try their luck, not forgetting that Viscount Pierre had promised him the right to collect his own security taxes.

The night before their departure, Art called Cooper and the others to his cabin. He instructed that during his absence, Cooper would be in charge of all affairs in the fort, assisted by Scott and Lawrence.

Art told them that the primary task was to continue reclaiming the land for the coming spring sowing. If the weather turned too cold and the ground froze, they were to lead the men to build a carriage road toward the edge of the northern forest. If the weather made outdoor work impossible, they were to focus on fortifying the wooden fort. His principle was simple: "This place shall not harbor idlers."

The success of the expedition was uncertain, so for safety, Art left five hundred pennies with Cooper for grain. If the foraging party did not return before the supplies ran out, Cooper was to organize a group to buy food from northern manors.

"Cooper, I am leaving some weapons behind. Have Bard use his free time to cut high-quality wood like beech, ash, or oak to make spear shafts. Turn all those iron spearheads into short spears and issue them to the most reliable and courageous farmers. They are to guard the fort in our absence. If you must go out to buy food, take more men and weapons; it is a chaotic time, and we must be cautious."

"Lawrence, you will lead the security of the fort while we are away. With more people and more land, you must guard against both wild beasts and any unrest within our own ranks. Issue those short spears to the men who have assisted in guard duty before and form a temporary watch. Even during work, they must keep their weapons nearby."

"Scott, you will also join the valley's temporary guard and assist the steward. We will return with food as soon as possible."

"Furthermore, tell everyone that without the steward's permission, no one is to leave the fort, and certainly not the northern forest."

"Yes, my lord."

After making his arrangements, Art and his men began their preparations.

Winter had arrived, and the bandits and outlaws would be less active, so Art suspected the journey would not be overly dangerous. Since the goal was to secure food and supplies, he planned to carry only three days of rations, one carriage, and one horse, leaving the green mule behind to help Cooper with the plowing.

However, one could not look too shabby when collecting grain across Tynets County. To avoid being mistaken for refugees or bandits, Art had the women in the fort collect leaves like tallow and oak to create a black dye. They took the existing cloaks and linen and dyed them all black, crafting six uniform black cloaks and tunics. With these, they would at least appear to have some "official" backing.

Art wore a double-layered leather cuirass, a nasal-guard iron helmet, and a bear-fur mantle, carrying a horn bow on his back and a fine steel knightly sword and dagger at his waist. Aldo wore another double-layered leather cuirass, Ron wore a patched single-layer leather vest, and Kazak and Bas each wore a padded gambeson. Art gave each of them a leather belt with a short sword, axe, or hammer, and each carried an iron short spear.

Once the four men were equipped and draped in their black cloaks, they looked uniform, spirited, and formidable. The aura of a hardened fighting force was immediate.

"Move out!"