I can see emperor stats-Chapter 74
declaration of victory
About a month has passed since the issue of dispatching troops to the Western Front, which involved various interests, was settled. Julius had been watching the knights training from early in the morning, which was rare that day.
'I feel like I'm pretty much a member of the Knights now. Now all that's left is to produce results.'
visor! visor!
“I’ve said it before, but your feet are slow! Focus on practicing footwork!”
The training at the gymnasium was intense. And, although the story had already spread quite a bit among the knights, it was also the day of Julius' official announcement.
"set! After today's training, as predicted, there will be a talk from His Highness the Prince.”
Soon, about a hundred knights lined up in an orderly manner in front of the gymnasium. Julius opened his mouth with a smile on his face.
“I think many people already know, but I called because I have news to tell our Knights.”
He declared in a quiet but powerful tone.
“It seems that the knights are gradually forming, so we decided to have our knights participate in the Imperial Martial Arts group exhibition!”
male voice
It's a fact already known to those in the know, but even so, whispers can be heard among the knights.
"It's worth doing in a prime tournament, but won't jousting or general tournaments be difficult?"
“Maybe he’s taking you for the purpose of gaining experience.”
“Anyway, now I have a chance to test the results of my training!”
After the establishment of the Knights, it was a repetition of training and training. In fact, since the Imperial Family Martial Arts Festival was one of the best festivals in the continent, their expressions were bound to be bright.
'The reaction isn't too bad. It's worth looking forward to.'
Julius smiled inwardly, but opened his mouth again with a deliberately solemn expression.
“Everyone thinks differently, but what kind of results do you guys expect from this martial arts meeting?”
“… … ?”
This question was not easily answered by Haynes and other knights of a squad leader or higher level. Objectively, the strength of the current knights was not weak.
However, as the name of this martial arts event is a team event, it was because there was a limit to achieving good results with the help of a few knights.
“I will tell you directly!”
Julius let out a sound like thunder from the sky here.
“Our knights will be aiming for the overall victory in this martial arts tournament. I want everyone to cheer up!”
“… … !”
Most of the knights seemed at a loss for words. Objectively, they were never weak knights, but no matter how much you think about it, they were never strong enough to win. However, judging from Julius' expression, it seemed that he was not joking at all.
With those words, the assembly of the day came to an end. Most of the articles scattered with expressions that did not understand the English language.
“I think it is a bit too much for them.”
As the leader, only Haines quietly visited Julius and expressed his concerns. But he smiled quietly and asked Haines back.
“Then, how far does Lord Haynes see the limit realistically?”
Haines had something in mind, so he opened his mouth without hesitation.
“I think jousting spearmanship should be done well to be in the upper-middle class. And if it's prime, it's worth aiming for first place. However, if the overall championship is the goal, it will take a regular tournament.”
Haynes' idea was reasonable. The Imperial Family Martial Arts team event was awarded a comprehensive score in three matches.
The first is a jousting spear battle. Most knights sharpen their swords, but long spears are useful when charging on horseback or breaking through enemy lines, so they had to have at least some knowledge.
The horseback spear battle was literally a game in which knights held spears as a group and formed formations to face off against each other.
The strength of each individual is important, but the key is how well the knights assist each other, so the quality of the knights is important, but the knights with a long history of working together with each other are much more advantageous.
The second is the Prime Tournament. This is literally no different from a team duel that is generally thought of. Three strong players selected from the knights are selected, and the side with the most wins wins.
In the Knights of Julius, all of the top ranks are excellent. It wouldn't be too difficult for Beatrice and Haynes right now to easily win 2 wins.
It was the third regular tournament that was the problem. This system was a device that prevented certain knights from achieving good results in martial arts with only two or three outstanding knights.
The condition was that knights with high reputation already on the continent or executive level knights who held a certain position in the relevant knights could not compete. Of course, if you want to be good at general articles, you can't even get enough talent pool.
“Hmm, then what is the overall score you expect?”
“Honestly, I think I need a lot of luck. With the exception of the Golden Lion Knights, there are quite a few odds of winning since we can put elites from the north in general warfare.”
"As expected, the problem is that it's the Grand Duke's Knights, isn't it?"
"That's right. If you don't meet them early, if you're lucky enough to finish second overall, it's worth aiming for.”
In fact, even that much was an unbelievable result for a knights who were founded half a year ago. However, Julius wanted to take this opportunity to break the archduke's nose.
'Besides, there's no way that old man wouldn't come up with a trick on an opportunity like this?'
The Archduke was not one to let his knights go on a rampage. In order to break his momentum this time, he will probably try to thoroughly defeat his knights either head-on or covertly.
Whether it was 2nd or 3rd, it didn't matter. It was because the fact that he was defeated by the knights of the Archduke would break the morale of the imperial faction.
That's why the emperor believed in Julius, but at the same time was concerned. The history of martial arts is a so-called double-edged sword.
* * *
“Did you call?”
The Grand Duke convened the Shadows again for the first time since the Northern War.
“Some of you should go to the imperial martial arts meeting this time.”
They, including Dmitri, became puzzled. Didn't the grand duke already have an official knight order, the Golden Lion Knights?
“To be precise, I should temporarily join the Golden Lion Knights.”
"ah!"
Then they groan It was because he understood the grand duke's intentions.
“First of all, Dmitry! I believe we will not fail this time.”
“Thank you for giving me another chance!”
Besides that, the grand duke pointed out several shadowy executive-level knights.
'Actually, I didn't want to use this kind of move against the young prince, but I should be prepared just in case.'
He smiled condescendingly. He himself has eyes and ears. Most of the first prince's knights seemed to him to be ragtag, but he thought he knew enough that some knights had formidable skills.
'Perhaps he's aiming for the overall championship by performing moderately in jousting spears and scoring points in prime and regular tournaments... I can never give up on both.'
The flower of the Imperial Martial Arts Meeting was, of course, the Prime Tournament where the best knights competed. The score for the jousting spear battle was not very high.
In fact, the Archduke wasn't too worried about Prime either. It was because he trusted the Golden Lion Knights as much as a shadow.
The reason he summoned the shadows was entirely to secure a clear victory in a general tournament. The knights raised in the shadows, of course, did not have much reputation.
He said that there would be no problem even if he temporarily joined the Golden Lion Knights and sent them to the tournament disguised as regular knights.
The Archduke thought that he had a very high regard for Julius. If the opponent is lucky, he fully expects to face in the final.
However, when he thought about it, there was little chance of him losing the tournament by curbing his ego and going this far.
If it was an officer-level knight in the shadows, all of them were skilled enough to serve as the captain or vice-captain of a decent knights corps.
'It wouldn't be bad to step on the first prince's knights on this occasion.'
As soon as the knights were formed, if they were overwhelmingly defeated by him in a martial arts meeting that was like their first career, the faces of the emperor, the imperial faction's servants, and the damned first prince would be worth seeing.
* * *
A week after Julius' shocking declaration that he was aiming for the overall championship! Finally, the list of participants in the Knights Tournament was announced.
“Assuming that horseback spearmanship is about gaining experience, do it without any hesitation. However, the knights participating in the tournament conduct separate training!”
The knights began to look at the list posted in the middle of the gymnasium with curious eyes.
[List of Prime Tournament Participants]
Beatrice Dios
Haynes Brewing
… … .
I didn't even need to look here. Naturally, the knights from 1st to 10th ranked in the existing order. Although three matches are played, a total of ten must go out because the knights have physical or injury problems.
However, the knights who saw the list of general tournaments could not help but widen their eyes.
[General Tournament Participant List]
Bernard Keynes
… … .
Julius von Sharnos
Surprisingly, the person listed at the end of the list was Julius himself. Although it could be said that the possibility of participating in the list is slim to none as it goes to the end of the list, it was quite surprising that he, a member of the royal family, participated in the tournament like a regular knight.
"Keynes, you're a friend with skills. Even so, does His Highness participate directly?"
“There shouldn’t be any major problems with the rules, but… … .”
“Could it be that you are setting an example to boost our morale?”
All the new knights tilted their heads, but the knights who followed him from the north nodded as if they understood.
'indeed… If His Majesty goes out in person, we can expect to win.'
There were still very few people who knew the true face of Julius. What is known to the outside world about his major achievements in the North is his ability as a commander.
The training of squad leader-level knights is also being done unseen by ordinary knights, so new knights, except for Keynes, do not know well about Julius' status as a soldier.
Of course, those who knew exactly his skills were on his side.
“Shouldn’t regular tournaments be 3:3 as well? You only need 2 wins. Don't we have a friend who has the skills to get us a win almost unconditionally?”
Haines smiled bitterly.
“You mean Lord Keynes. Certainly, judging from the speed at which your skills are improving, if you push yourself a little more for the rest of the period, you will be able to compete with quite a few high-ranking knights of the Golden Lion Knights.”
And even when Julius said he was leaving, he didn't stop him. Didn't he lose quite a few of the knights he shared with him in the North? Although it was a bit expedient, it was the Grand Duke who first walked the male and female.
“If Her Highness goes out in person, it would certainly not be too much to win the overall championship.”
'There are other benefits as well.'
Julius laughed inwardly. Of course, this was the story of the normal martial arts meeting. There were quite a few things he had to use his hands to break up the grand duke's tricks.
buzz buzz.
“I think everyone has a lot of questions, but for now, trust me and follow me.”
At Julius' words, the new knights also became serious again. Actually, it was half a year, but in their eyes, Julius was a fair and exemplary superior.
'It wasn't the Knights who came in with great expectations anyway. If His Highness does, then we can follow.'
After that, the knights' training was changed to special training in preparation for martial arts.
“Ordinary knights, first of all, focus on jousting spear combat training. It’s impossible to win the overall championship if you don’t perform to a certain extent there.”
Of course, one of the regular articles was an exception.
Julius pointed at that person with a grin.
“Sir Keynes, of course, we will increase the special training time for the time being.”
"All right… … .”
It was a pity for him, but it was unavoidable because the expectations placed on him in general tournaments were high.
'About two months left?'
The time for this year's imperial martial arts meeting, which would have been so talkative and risky, was approaching.
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