"Relax your shoulders, and then take a step away - don't use such a stiff posture and stare at the eyes as if you are going to cut someone!"

The training ground at the Knights' headquarters was a bunker on the hill of the garrison, and Sir Leonardo, dressed in a short sweatshirt, wielded the practice wooden sword in his hand, hammering back and forth on Edward's calves and arms, holding the wooden sword above his head with both hands, Edward was constantly adjusted by him like a doll.

Almost early in the morning, Edward was called to the training ground by Leonardo, who threw him a lead-filled wooden sword, which was more like a round stick with a handle, and Edward weighed it slightly, which weighed at least four times the weight of his own saber. According to Sir Leonardo, all the reserve knights and squires of the Order practiced with this weapon at the beginning.

Although Edward's physical reaction and instinctive instinct were almost impossible due to the fusion of souls, in essence, what he had learned so far was only the basics of swordsmanship, plus some common sense that he had learned in his life, and he had not received the most orthodox training of the Knights at all.

Leonardo very much wanted Edward to join the Knights, but in his eyes Edward was still quite unqualified - he didn't know how to charge on horseback, he couldn't use a spear, he couldn't use a bow and arrow, he didn't know how to use a shield to protect himself, let alone command soldiers, and in his eyes this little squire still had a lot to learn.

"Well, very good, keep moving. Leonardo nodded, and pointed out very patiently: "Your talent is very good - not only the talent of fighting, but the grasp of rhythm, the ability to see through the opponent's movements and rules, this is the ability that many people can't ask for, and it shouldn't be wasted!"

"Now, raise your sword high. While saying this, Leonardo also raised the practice wooden sword in his hand, and looked at Edward calmly: "Do you know what is the most important thing in battle?"

"Seize the opportunity?" Edward himself had thought about this question, so he replied with some doubts: "Use your own advantages to restrain the other party's disadvantages, and then ...... Survive. ”

"Sounds like that, but how do you do it? Your opponent won't always be a pack of ghouls or blood wolves, and it's only a matter of time before you run into a few ruthless characters - the rhythm, whether it's fighting alone on the streets or on the battlefield, mastering the rhythm of the whole game is the key to victory!"

"Disrupt the opponent's rhythm, and then let him follow your rhythm, and after completely controlling a qiē, end the opponent's life!" Leonardo swung his sword, and the two wooden swords collided together with a dull sound: "This is your greatest talent, no matter how much swordsmanship and exquisite skills you have, you can't let a fool understand these things!"

The two wooden swords kept clashing together, as if they were beating on a drumbeat, and Leonardo deliberately repeated certain steps so that Edward could see clearly: "The right pace and certain sword swinging techniques can help you play your own rhythm better, not just adapt to the other person - these are things you must remember!"

"So, all I'm going to do is disrupt the other person's rhythm and get him to follow my beat?" Edward replied, curling the corners of his mouth, as he delicately unloaded Leonardo's sword from the top of his head. ”

"So you have to do more!" Leonardo, who had fallen from the blade, immediately grabbed the blade of the wooden sword, and swung his right hand holding the hilt of the sword towards Edward's face. The black-haired boy, who didn't have time to block with his sword, could only take half a step back, and also used the end of his long sword to resist Leonardo's attack.

The two of them had a tacit understanding and pushed forward at the same time, separating the wooden swords that were glued together. Leonardo gasped, put the wooden sword in his hand on the ground, and looked at Edward with burning eyes: "If it is an ordinary person who can do this, it is already very good, but you can do far more than that." ”

"Never let people see through your rhythm – it's almost impossible for a lot of people, but you have the talent. Leonardo stepped forward and grabbed Edward's shoulder: "I will give you all my experience and swordsmanship, but don't let these things become a burden to you." ”

"To become a knight, it's not enough to be able to use a sword - how to make a war horse obey your orders, how to raise a spear and charge...... If you become a Sacred Tree Knight, you may have the opportunity to lead the troops, and you will have to know how to command them so that they can become part of your 'rhythm'. Leonardo smiled: "You still have a lot to learn, but not just with a sword." ”

Edward nodded happily - he was quite confident in his own abilities, but self-confidence was definitely not arrogant, especially when he should humbly ask for advice, he had to show a humble attitude, listen more and talk less, and then seriously do what the other party asked.

"Knight Leonardo Cambrai, Sir Seine is back!" a sergeant, who looked hurried, suddenly came running to report, only two or three years older than Edward, with beads of sweat on his head: "Lord Gayor Valens, please go to the conference room now, he is already waiting for you there." ”

"Then we'll get here today, anyway, there's still time - the priority is still the Blood Banner Brotherhood. Sir Leonardo nodded, and tilted Edward's back with his wooden sword: "Remember what I said today, don't forget!" With that, he threw the wooden sword to Edward, and then left on his own.

.................. "We've found the nest of the rats - but we still don't know where they are. ”

As soon as Edward entered the room, he heard Gaius Valence leaning against the wall with his shoulders crossed, pointing to a map of the whole city of Turin hanging on the wall beside him: "In the early hours of this morning, I had my squire lead the hounds of the castle through the entire eastern part of the city, and only disappeared completely on the bank of a river on the west side of the hills of Marchelus. ”

"We only caught that woman yesterday, and you found it this morning?" Leonardo stared at him in surprise, "Why don't I remember that woman being so honest - or did you find some other clue?"

"It's simple, because we let the woman go and let the mouse help us find our target. Gaiyo looked at Edward, who was standing at the door and had not yet entered, and stretched out his hand to point at Leonardo: "As for how we did it, why don't you ask a certain mastermind?"

"Not because of high chivalry, or in some very upright way—despicable, to be exact, but very practical. Edward shrugged his shoulders, walked over with a smile on his lips, and quickly changed the subject: "At least now we have such important information, and their specific location. ”

"I'm curious, what's going on with that cloak?" Gaio looked at Edward with a thoughtful look, "How did you make sure that the smell of that thing would last all night, and that only hounds could smell it?"

"None of that matters. Edward lowered his head slightly, raised his eyebrows, and smiled and spread his hands to Gaio, "What matters - what we know now, and what we don't know yet. ”

Gaio Valence stared at Edward silently, his eyes staring at each other. It was a few seconds before he turned his gaze back to the map on the wall behind him: "Even so, we still don't know their exact location, and we can't tell if the damn rat nest is really around here - but it's a bit of a coarse dare to stay so close to the palace." ”

"It's dark under the lights, and they're clever - it's because they're so close that the patrolling soldiers around them don't look too deliberately, and the Knights can't be too ostentatious at the foot of the palace. Leonardo frowned: "In this kind of place, if the movement is a little bigger, everything is exposed." ”

"I heard that old Cena has returned, why didn't I see him?" Only then did Leonardo notice that there seemed to be one missing around: "Isn't there any useful news from the wizards' union?"

"There's one, but I'm not sure if it's related. Gaiyo shook his head, "There was a young wizard who was suddenly stripped of his identity ring and necklace a few days ago because he had been caught in the 'Rose Glass' - apparently they took this matter very seriously. ”

"Well, wizards aren't allowed to go...... Is that kind of place?" Edward was a little surprised, "Just because of this, he was stripped of his identity?"

"At least in the kingdom of Turin, if you come into contact with magic or something, you will be insulated from women for the rest of your life - the same as the clergy of the Church, they must maintain physical chastity. Leonardo opened his mouth to explain, and then comforted Edward with a smile: "But the Knights don't require you to fight a single, you can rest assured!"

"Of course, this matter is handled so harshly, and it is also due to the identity of the wizard - the only heir of the ancient Tasker family, although the family has declined, this name still carries a high honor, and the wizards' guild hopes to use it to deter the apprentices who cannot restrain themselves. ”

Gai was not interested in what Edward was thinking, and continued to say in a deep voice: "And this wizard is said to have been to the place we just talked about more often, and has been disguised to sneak into the 'Rose Glass' more than once. ”

"This would be a useful clue if...... You can really catch the words of the expelled wizard. ”