From a hired knight to a master of Game of Thrones

These words immediately caused an uproar among the crowd around the training ground.

Who was Sir Keller?

He was one of the most senior knights under Count Mechi, a core retainer of Count Mechi, and one of the military commanders of the Seven family.

Having guarded Seven City for many years, his hands are stained with the blood of countless raiders.

In terms of strength, only a handful of Seven's knights could withstand thirty of his moves.

Upon hearing this, Don Quixote's smile faded, replaced by solemnity:

"It is my honor to have the opportunity to exchange skills with you, Sir."

"That's great!" Sir Keller laughed heartily.

"Watching you guys fight all day has made me want to stretch my legs too."

People around them held their breath again, all eyes fixed on the two of them.

Don Quixote was the first to move.

With a flick of his right wrist, the longsword was drawn from its sheath.

Then, he lightly stepped into the mud with both feet, without any hesitation, and his figure shot forward like an arrow.

This move was incredibly fast.

In the blink of an eye, the sword tip was already close to Sir Keller.

"Well done!"

Sir Keller's eyes flashed with a sharp light, and he swung his iron sword horizontally.

Dang dang dang.

The two iron swords clashed directly.

...Great strength! Great reaction!

Don Quixote felt a heavy, mountain-like force travel along the blade of the sword, causing his hand to go numb.

He didn't panic and continued to swing his sword.

His swordsmanship was completely unpretentious.

Chop, stab, sweep, and flick – there are no superfluous movements; every swing of the sword aims to defeat the enemy in one strike.

"Excellent swordsmanship!"

Sir Keller found an opening to offer a word of praise, then calmly parried all of Don Quixote's sword strikes.

when!when!when!

The two longswords clashed repeatedly.

Their figures kept changing without stopping for a moment.

Those around were stunned.

On one side is the composure and steadiness of a veteran knight, and on the other side is the agility and nimbleness of a young knight.

One attack and one defense resulted in a fierce and evenly matched battle.

"That's twenty moves!"

Someone gasped in disbelief.

Sir Keller's sword strikes did not diminish; on the contrary, they became even more ferocious.

Don Quixote was slightly out of breath.

Sweat trickled down his temples, and the muscles beneath his chainmail were taut.

On endurance and foundation.

He knew he was no match for veteran knights like Sir Keller.

If we continue to maneuver like this, defeat is inevitable!

As for swordsmanship, it is far inferior to that of a knight like Sir Keller who has fought for many years.

Thirty moves have passed!

"Good lad, your fundamentals are solid! And your physique is outstanding too!"

Sir Keller gave it a high compliment.

His actions then became even more decisive.

Chop, stab, twist, press.

There was no mercy shown; it was a full-fledged exchange.

Each move sealed off Don Quixote's dodge options, preparing to defeat him in one strike.

Don Quixote's breathing had become rapid.

Sweat dripped from his forehead into his eyes, making them sting. He wanted to blink several times, but dared not be distracted for even a moment.

"when!"

A sharp crack made people's eardrums go numb.

A tremendous force vibrated along the sword.

Don Quixote felt an intense, dull pain in his hand and almost dropped his sword.

...It's reached its limit.

Don Quixote fought for a while longer, then seized an opportunity to retreat quickly, and hurriedly said:

"My lord, I concede!"

Sir Keller stopped moving, catching his breath.

...There's still a considerable gap between them and those truly formidable veteran knights.

Above Sir Keller, there were many even more formidable figures.

The Hound—Sandor Clegane!

Oberon Martell, the Red Viper!

The Magic Mountain—Gregor Clegane!

The Kingslayer—Jaime Lannister!

The fearless Barristan – Barristan Selmi!

Brienne Tarth, the female knight!

Don Quixote gasped for breath, a multitude of thoughts swirling in his mind.

A moment later, Sir Keller suddenly burst into laughter:

"Well done! What a Don Quixote! I never imagined there would be such a talented individual as you among the free knights!"

Don Quixote sheathed his sword, bowed deeply, sweat dripping from his brow, and spoke hurriedly:

"Sir deliberately held back, which is why I've been able to hold on for so long."

Sir Keller waved his hand and smiled:

"Haha, you don't need to be modest. I haven't sparred to this extent in a long time!"

"Among all the knights and soldiers in the entire Seven territory, your strength is enough to rank you in the top ten!"

...Just in the top ten? It seems I overestimated my abilities before.

Don Quixote knew it.

Sir Keller did not use his full strength during the sparring session.

If a fight breaks out, he probably won't last more than a few moves.

Aside from a difference in physical strength, the more crucial difference lies in swordsmanship.

His combat experience was ultimately lacking.

He can only bully people who are much weaker than him.

If you encounter someone with similar physical strength but more combat experience, you might not necessarily be able to win.

...You still need to develop properly.

At this moment, Sir Keller suddenly said again:

"I will mention you to the Earl; perhaps you will be given an important position."

Sir Keller's voice was not loud, but every word reached the ears of everyone present.

Suddenly, everyone in the training ground looked at Don Quixote with not only awe but also envy.

In the Seven Territory, being personally recommended to the Earl by Sir Keller would be an incredibly good thing for an ordinary person.

Upon hearing this unexpected joy, Don Quixote bowed again and solemnly said:

"I am grateful for your kindness, Sir. I will do my utmost to serve you and live up to your expectations."

He is far from being able to start his own business.

If he can be valued by the Seven family, it will be much easier to build his own power later.

Sir Keller stared at him for a while, as if trying to determine the truthfulness of his words.

Finally, Sir Keller said:

"Loyalty is not just empty words; it must be proven with concrete actions."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Seven Castle Main Castle.

Council hall.

The aroma of burnt pine wood filled the stone hall.

Earl Macchiato discussed important matters concerning the territory with several of his core retainers, then suddenly looked at Sir Keller:

"Keller, how many Free Knights are you currently employing?"

"My lord, in the past few days, a total of thirty-six free knights have come seeking employment opportunities," Sir Keller announced immediately.

"I conducted a test, and nine people passed."

Count Mitch thought for a moment and said:

"A temporary trading market doesn't need to be too big; hiring nine free knights should be enough."

"Select two knights and five soldiers from the guards of Seven City. Each of them, a captain and a lieutenant, will lead several free knights to form two squads to guard the temporary trading market day and night in shifts."

Sir Keller hesitated for a moment before replying:

"There aren't many guards capable of keeping those free knights in check. They all have their duties. If we transfer two of them, I'm worried it will affect the stability of Seven City."

"Oh," Earl Meiqi said in surprise.

"Could it be that some outstanding individual has emerged among those Free Knights?"

"This is certainly extraordinary," Sir Keller quickly said.

"This man is named Don Quixote. He is a free knight who has mastered solid basic skills and has an outstanding physique."

"Today I sparred with him, and he withstood more than forty of my moves. His sword techniques were all practical and without any fancy moves."

"I estimate that there are fewer than five knights in the entire territory who can defeat him!"

"If I choose a regular guard, I'm worried I won't be able to control him."

After a pause, Sir Keller continued his analysis:

"After all, in most cases, the strong are respected in the military."

"Furthermore, Don Quixote was also a free knight, and it was highly likely that he would be recognized by other free knights."

"If we send a Seven City soldier or knight who is not capable enough, there is a high chance that he will be sidelined."

……

PS: (Please recommend and read this!)