Winfred enabled his Sensor mode and prepared to quickly parry his mentor's attacks. But what he didn't take into account was the force behind Wayne's attacks. "So heavy!" Winfred thought to himself.
His mentor's attacks were much faster and heavier than Gerdan's attacks. Stabs, swings, and lunges... everything he had learned from Wayne came at him relentlessly. On the other hand, Wayne was quite surprised by his disciple's progress, who was able to block his attacks even though it wasn't entirely perfect yet.
"This boy! He's not kidding!" Wayne thought to himself. Wayne wanted to praise Winfred but held himself back, putting on a fierce face.
"Wha-what's wrong, Master!?" Winfred said as he parried the attack and took a few steps back. "Did I do something wrong...!?" panting heavily, he shouted at his mentor with a puzzled look on his face.
Wayne ignored Winfred's question and charged at him again. In an instant, Wayne closed the distance between himself and Winfred and launched a series of serious attacks at his disciple.
"I heard the news! About the ambush!" Wayne said between attacks. Winfred remained focused on the incoming attacks, "I'm worried if something bad happened to my favorite disciple, but no! What I heard instead is that my favorite disciple valiantly defended the convoy!"
After saying that, Wayne smiled for a split second and then put on a fierce face again. "But look at what I encountered today! A man who is drowning in regret, not a man who is proud of his actions!" Sweat dripped from Winfred's head and he replied to his mentor's words, "What are you tal-"
Wayne cut off his disciple's words, "Say it again, Young Boy! Say that you don't need Alcott's pointless lessons anymore!" Winfred was frozen by his mentor's words while the intensity of his mentor's attacks grew faster and more deadly even though they were only using wooden spears.
The man with the eyepatch was amazed at his disciple's progress, "Indeed, you're getting stronger, Young Boy... but it ends here!" After Wayne thought so, he changed his stance to a more open one. Winfred was shocked because this was the first time he had seen his mentor show that stance.
Wayne's attacks became slightly slower, but the explosive power behind them doubled, causing Winfred to struggle for the first time. "I bet you thought that everything is a hindrance now!" Wayne said loudly. Once again, he swung his attack seriously at Winfred, "I bet you think some people will be useless for your goals, right!?"
Winfred, who felt the disturbance in the space around him, became desperate. The ripples caused by his mentor's successive attacks in the surrounding space made him nauseous and confused... added to that were his mentor's words that pierced his heart.
"I...! I just want-" Winfred stammered, trying to respond to his mentor's words. "You angry because you weak!? Fine! I can understand that!" Wayne once again glared at his disciple as he launched his attack. "You blame yourself because you can't truly protect some people!? I know that feeling well!"
Winfred's arms began to go limp like noodles, and Wayne's powerful attack caused him to drop his spear. Without realizing it, he fell to the ground while being held at spearpoint by his mentor.
Not stopping there, Wayne once again taunted the young man in front of him, "Say it to her, then! Tell her right to her face that you don't need her anymore and she's just a stepping stone for your cause!"
Wayne pointed his spear at Nina, who clasped her hands tightly with a worried expression. Winfred trembled at the sight of Nina's concern for him. Wayne then pointed his wooden spear right in front of Winfred's eyes again, "Hear me, Young Boy! Just because misfortune has struck you doesn't mean you can take out your emotions on others!"
Winfred opened his eyes wide upon hearing his mentor's words. Wayne no longer looked at his disciple with a fierce expression, but remained stern as if Winfred were his son.
The entrance to the training hall swung open wide, audible to all three of them. Winfred detected with his Sensor that only one person had entered and was approaching them. When he turned around, he was quite surprised to see the man he knew as Bernz.
"Um, please excuse me for disturbing your training right now, Young Master, Sir Wayne." Bernz bowed as he greeted them. Without delay, he stated his business with calm and steady composure, "I think it is best if I deliver this as soon as possible." Bernz handed Winfred a small wooden box with a unique pattern. He accepted the box but did not open it.
"On behalf of the Fifth Squad, I would like to thank you for your help during the ambush. Especially for the potions you gave to the two knights at that time. Thanks to you, they were saved and are currently recuperating." Bernz bowed deeply as he said this, a relieved smile on his face. Wayne just stood silently and listened to the knight's words.
Warm feelings flowed into Winfred's heart, but before he could reply to Bernz, the knight quickly withdrew and bowed once more to say his farewells. "I don't want to take up any more of your time. I apologize for disturbing you. Please excuse me."
The three watched Bernz leave until he was out of the training hall. Wayne turned his attention back to Winfred and said loudly, "See? Because of you, Victor can meet your mother once again! Thanks to you, that maid over there is still breathing healthily! Because of your bravery, the knights who followed you back then can return to their families' embrace!"
Once again, Wayne's words pierced his heart. Slowly, the fire of anger inside him began to diminish. Wayne clenched his fist and slammed it into his own chest, "You should be proud of yourself, Winfred Emerdine! They are alive thanks to you!"
Something had broken into pieces inside him, without him realizing it, Winfred calmed his body and his feelings became calmer. He lowered his head deeply and reflected on everything.
"They survived and are still alive thanks to me..." He then opened his eyes wide as if he had received an enlightenment. "Alive...?" The moment he thought that, his face felt like it had been slapped hard.
"They are alive. They are not just mere characters anymore. They move beyond the script and predetermined commands..." Winfred clenched his fists tightly, "The people in this world...they can cry, they can mourn, they will laugh, they will feel joy...just like real human beings."
Winfred swallowed hard and gritted his teeth, "So stupid... instead of focusing on my victory over the bandits... I allowed myself to drown and be blinded by rage..." He grimaced in pain.
Nina started walking toward her master, but Wayne shook his head, signaling her to leave Winfred alone for now. Winfred once again remembered the goal he had set for himself, "I...I must steal the protagonist's harem...then take the protagonist's spotlight...after that, grab all the strongest items and weapons for myself...", he slowly opened his fist.
"But that's how small fry think." Winfred smiled broadly, then took a deep breath and exhaled. Wayne, sensing a change in Winfred, lowered his spear and moved a little closer to his disciple.
The young man with brown hair and freckles on his face lifted his head and looked at his mentor with a fierce smile, "You are right, Master. I should be proud of myself...I shouldn't let myself be consumed by rage..."
Wayne pulled Winfred's hand to help him stand up, "Good. It's okay to be angry and feel hopeless, but don't ever be too hard on yourself." He patted the young man's shoulder firmly and looked at him with understanding, "Don't lose yourself, Young Boy."
Once again, warm feelings filled his chest. Winfred then turned to Nina and said softly, "I'm sorry for worrying you, Nina." The maid was surprised to see her master bowing to her.
"Young Master, that-", Nina shook her head slowly and then smiled cheerfully at the young man she had accompanied for several years, "Yes, Young Master. Welcome back."
Winfred was touched by Nina's words. He, who had been blinded by anger, was now back to his old self. He then bowed to his mentor and begged, "Forgive me for my attitude, Master!"
"Hey, it's fine! Glad you're back! Hahaha!" Wayne patted his disciple on the shoulder, to which Winfred replied, "I'll ask my father and Sir Alcott to continue my formal lessons. But..."
Hearing Winfred's pause, Wayne raised his eyebrows, "I won't change my mind about becoming stronger, Master. So please teach me!" Winfred looked serious, but this time his expression showed a determination that someone genuinely wanted to get stronger from the bottom of his heart.
"You bet, Young Boy! I will teach you! Wayne smiled brightly and gave a thumbs up. "There is one more thing, Master. Please spar with me using your full power. I want to gain a lot of combat experience, especially from you, a High-rank Knight."
Wayne was caught off guard by his disciple's request, but he laughed and nodded his head, "Hahaha! Are you sure? I can be a little rough and cruel when I use my full power." Winfred responded by picking up his spear and bowing, "Yes, Master!"
Without hesitation, Wayne took a few steps back from Winfred and assumed his stance. A huge amount of Mana erupted from his body, causing Winfred's Sensor to be utilized at full force. Not only that, small particles of ice also began to form around his mentor's spear. It looked like Wayne was truly going all-out to the point that he used his elemental attribute.
"Ready!? No turning back, okay!?" Wayne said loudly. Winfred responded by positioning himself and replied, "Yes! Looking forward to it, Master!"
And they continued their sparring. Nina, who was on the sidelines this time, showed a warm smile, because in front of her were two people who were smiling cheerfully at each other and seemed to be enjoying the fight in the training hall.
Until late afternoon, Winfred continued training with Wayne, and of course, victory was in the hands of the High-rank Knight.