Cricket was one of the high-class leisure sports of the nobility, similar to baseball, but at the same time one of the sports familiar to the common people.
Polo, unlike other sports like horseback riding that require a trained horse, a field to practice on, and equipment, can be enjoyed as long as you have a ball and a wide bat.
Thanks to this, cricket was a popular sport for both the nobility and the common people, and it would not be an exaggeration to say that everyone was familiar with the basic rules.
That’s why.
“Is that all you can do?”
“My mother is better at doing patta than you are!”
“Why, why can’t I catch the ball!? It’s falling right in front of me…!”
… Well, it’s something like this.
In a cricket match, or rather, in a cricket test field, the players (cadets) throw the ball hard, swing their bats, and become bloodshot as they try to catch the ball.
The two teams currently taking the test coincidentally consist of many children from noble families representing the South and the East, respectively.
And as fate would have it, the team was divided.
Those from the South and the East were cheering for their hometowns, and the cheering was so heated that it seemed like it would turn into chaos at any moment.
A war game and a battle for territory called sports.
This was no longer a sports competition or a test for individual cadets, but a war that involved the pride of the people of Yeongji.
Arno, who happened to be taking a cricket test, shook his head.
“… If we lose this match, it seems like there will be an uprising in the territory.”
“It’s not like it’s going to happen, it’s really going to happen. There was a cricket match between the territories that had conflicts among the academy seniors, and the citizens of the losing territories surrounded the lord’s son armed with slings and threw rocks at him.”
“Is that senior alive?”
“He is still breathing. He is just living while being treated as the worst traitor in the land.”
“… … .”
“So, we have to win no matter what. I don’t want to be treated as a traitor. … I don’t want to be stoned to death.”
“… Hmm.”
In this way, the cricket match unintentionally became interesting.
Exams are put on the back burner, and the atmosphere is one of beating up the opposing team to the death.
Arno and the other members of the swordsmanship department were starting to get worried that a fistfight might break out at any moment.
“Hey, is there bench clearing in this world too?”
Lee Han was shocked to see the situation unfolding like that.
I came to watch the match because I heard that the students he was teaching were participating, but the situation turned into a much more combative one.
I thought it would be a classy sport since it was for the nobles.
Isn’t it more interesting than most baseball or soccer games?
also.
“Am I watching European football? Why are there so many hooligans?”
Even the audience cannot help but be berserkers.
I really thought that if we did this wrong, there would be people who would carry torches and burn the nobles’ carriages.
“It’s chaos, it’s chaos.”
Is it because there is so little to enjoy?
People are quite serious about sports.
It is expected that this aspect may be appearing because cricket is a familiar sport.
“Why don’t you try spreading soccer?”
There is something similar to soccer, but I wonder what kind of ripples it would create if we introduced it more seriously.
Is this what intellectual curiosity is?
When you want to introduce modern football so viciously.
“Instructor?”
“Number 11 Teddy Bear?”
I came across a familiar face.
“It’s Barry, Instructor. Please call me by my name, since we’re not in the training grounds.”
“But you still memorize the numbers accurately.”
“…Should I be grateful for this?”
“By the way, why is Cadet Barry here?”
“Oh, I was earning some living expenses. It was peak season.”
Bald Number 11, no, Barry Cobbs, scratched his head with an awkward smile.
He took a cold drink out of his huge backpack.
There are also plenty of jerky and pretzels that appear to be used as side dishes.
“Huh, is it okay to sell something like that?”
“It’s not supposed to be done, but most people tolerate it. People like me who always have a shortage of living expenses tend to do it a lot.”
“Really? Somehow, I thought I saw some drunk guys too… .”
“Haha, selling alcohol is illegal. I’ll probably get caught the moment the crackdown squad shows up.”
“… Is there a task force?”
Lee Han looked dumbfounded and took out two silver coins from his bosom.
“Just give me a drink and some beef jerky.”
“…Isn’t that too much money?”
“The rest are tips.”
“… … Instructor.”
“Study during exam period, Inma. Don’t refuse me because it hurts your pride.”
“… … I will be loyal!”
“Do well as usual.”
“Yep!!”
With that sharp salute, Barry accepted two silver coins (a month’s wages for a family of four) and handed over the entire bag.
If I ask for just one, he gives them all up and runs away.
“I told you to listen to me.”
Who asked for all that?
Lee Han grumbled and put a piece of beef jerky from his bag into his mouth.
“It was handmade? It was well made.”
It was a great taste, worth the money.
* * *
-First of all, let’s just talk about the result. Lee Han ‘dared’ to reject Archduke Magnus’s offer.
It was impossible for a commoner to reject the Archduke’s offer.
The Archduke could have considered this an insult and ordered his head to be cut off, but the Archduke did the opposite.
-Why are you refusing?
He just showed interest with shining eyes.
It was a very good offer, so why did you reject it?
That makes sense, if you do well, it’s a chance to become the son-in-law of the Grand Duke.
It was an opportunity for social advancement and the possibility of using Lionel’s surname.
But why give it up?
The answer that Lee Han gave to such a question was.
– I’m not attracted to it.
… was.
Archduke Magnus blinked at this masterpiece-like answer, and Maximus rolled on the floor, holding his stomach.
– Kyahahahaha! Brother, I told you so! That guy is a piece of shit, a piece of shit! How can someone ignore the world’s greatest Lionel like this! Isn’t that really amazing!
– … That’s definitely true, haha!
However, the Archduke and the Knight of the North did not seem displeased.
If it was fun, it was fun.
Is this a characteristic of northerners?
Unlike the central aristocracy, they considered honesty a virtue rather than hiding their true feelings, and seemed to value generosity even more.
It was Archduke Magnus who burst out laughing afterwards, and he.
-Still, knight, always remember my offer. Lionel will always welcome you.
It disappeared, leaving room for improvement.
He was a stormy man,
When it appears, it shows a ferocity that can sweep everything away at once, but when it disappears, it disappears as if in a storm.
– Next time, let’s make sure we have a bloody fight, wait, Rohan!
– … Are you doing that on purpose?
– hmm?
“… Will that kid break my jaw the next time I see him?”
The guy who changed his name three times: Lee Han, La Han, and then Rohan.
They say there’s no younger brother like an older brother, but unlike the Grand Duke who left a positive image, this guy kept nagging at him until the end!
Next time I run into that cocky gorilla, I won’t give in so easily.
I’ll cut off your chin and cheekbones!
In addition to Galahad’s cocky grappler, Lee Han has chosen a new target to turn into a bowl of rice.
But before that.
“Should we start by taking care of these Information Guild brats?”
The first target to be dealt with before the grappler and the gorilla was none other than the Information Guild.
If you’re getting paid, you should do your job properly. What’s going on? The information is all messed up.
‘The duke who was thought to be a murderer turns out to be just a normal person, the guy who was thought to be a rapist turns out to be a better person than you think, aren’t there cases like this?’
Of course, you can’t judge everything based on one meeting, but Lee Han trusts his eyes and intuition.
In that sense, neither the Duke nor the Grand Duke were useless trash in the world.
On the contrary, he had the dignity and ability to be called the most noble of all the nobles he had ever met.
So, Lee Han identified two main reasons why the Information Guild only passed on this kind of information.
Either you’ve gathered some really rough information, or you’ve done nothing.
‘Either they both thoroughly manipulated information about themselves.’
Whatever it is.
“…I’m tired.”
It seems like the frequency of incidents is overwhelmingly higher than when I was in the Knights Templar.
…is that because you’re at the academy?
“No, it’s not the Academy that’s the problem, it’s the people.”
Do you know that?
Any academy drama is peaceful until the main character appears.
And now, at his workplace, there are two, no, three leading actors.
‘A prince who boasts of returning and is an unknown scoundrel, and…’
“-Instructor!?”
“… … ”
“Oh my, what a coincidence? We met in a place like this, haha… .”
“…hmm.”
Even the ice cube in front of your eyes.
Lee Han spits out a sigh and thinks again.
This guy, really.
‘You’re really bad at acting.’
Irene Windler approached him with a clumsy smile.
[Arin, you know? There’s no better opportunity than today! Today is the day to achieve your goal!]
‘Shut up, what am I doing because of you?!’
Irene Windler wondered what on earth she was doing.
Because of the ghost roommate who kept nagging and chattering noisily every day, I had to put on makeup from the morning.
[Huh? I didn’t tell you to put on makeup? You’re just being random.]
‘Hey, shall we meet like a beggar, then!? I, I’m doing this because I’m thinking of you, you little rascal.’
[Hmm~?]
‘Why, why are you looking at me like that?’
[No, nothing. Anyway, I don’t care what evil intentions you have, but you must do what I ask you no matter what, okay?]
‘I don’t have any evil intentions! … But do I really have to grant that request?’
[If you want to fail the test, you don’t have to listen.]
‘Hmm…!’
Irene Windler, who had never studied at all, believing that the Ghost Girl could memorize all the subjects, remembered that she had no choice but to grant the request.
Since she’s the top student in the magic department, there’s no worry about her being expelled even if her grades are low, so it doesn’t really matter if she fails the exam.
‘You can’t fail the test!’
For a girl with the soul of a test taker who still hasn’t taken the college entrance exam, there was no situation more terrifying than getting low grades.
So.
‘Huh, just touching the thigh, just the thigh… .’
The girl swallowed dryly, glancing at the knight’s thigh, which seemed thicker than her waist.
Damn!
“…?”
The knight felt a chill for some reason.
