Interspecies Training Manual

The sound of horses' hooves in the courtyard had stopped, and the black-armored guards stood in rows on both sides of the carriage.

Their gaze swept over the broken wooden fences and scorched earth on the farm.

The farm was also attacked by monsters.

A servant opened the car door, and a middle-aged man dressed in a magnificent robe and with a tall, upright figure stepped out.

He stood beside the carriage, looking at the chaotic farm before him, his brow furrowed slightly.

Just then, the door in front of them was suddenly pushed open, and a thin figure walked out.

"Your Excellency, I, Roan Bell, greet you."

Luo An placed one hand on his shoulder and bent down.

Lord Brian's eyes showed surprise.

"Luo An, you're still alive?"

"I received a report that farms in this area have been attacked by monsters one after another, so I brought my guards to investigate."

"All three nearby farms were wiped out; you're lucky you survived."

Brian walked over, a look of relief on his face.

"Where is your father? Is he inside?"

Luo An stiffened slightly, his expression turning somber.

"My father died in a goblin attack the night before last."

Upon hearing this news, Brian's eyes filled with regret, and the guard beside him also sighed.

"My father encountered a mad goblin in the forest, and all the slaves died protecting him."

Luo An's voice choked with emotion as he pondered how to make his reason for living more believable.

"At night, a large group of goblins attacked the farm. My father told me to hide in the thatched hut and not to come out no matter what I heard."

"I didn't leave the thatched hut until dawn, when there was no sound from outside. But my father..."

As he said this, he lowered his head, his body trembling slightly.

Brian paused for a moment, then patted Roan on the shoulder.

"Your father was a brave soldier. Take me to see him."

With a dejected expression, Luo An led Brian and a group of guards toward the backyard.

"I buried my father here."

Luo An pointed to the slightly arched earthen mound.

Brian stood before the grave, raised his hand to remove his top hat, and solemnly bowed slightly towards the tomb.

The guards behind him all removed their helmets and bowed their heads in silent mourning.

This is a tribute to and remembrance of a brave warrior.

After the moment of silence, Brian put his top hat back on and looked at Roan.

"Your father died fighting against the monsters; he shouldn't be buried here all alone."

"Luo An, there is a cemetery outside the main city where many heroic souls who sacrificed their lives to resist the invasion are buried and are respected by the people."

"I want your father to be reburied in a cemetery so that he can receive the honor he deserves."

Roan looked up at the lord before him.

The other person's eyes were very sincere, and there was nothing unusual about them.

"Thank you for your kindness, Lord."

Luo An looked at the simple earthen grave.

"After my father retired from his guard post, he stayed on this farm. Now that he rests here in peace, I don't want to disturb him any longer."

"I hope you will forgive me, my lord."

Brian didn't insist.

"If that's the case, then so be it."

Looking back at the dilapidated farm, Brian, as an elder, considered his situation and said, "Roan, your father is gone, and the slaves are gone too. It will be difficult for you to run this farm on your own."

"The farm is too close to the forest; we never know when monsters might attack again."

He turned and walked back, with Luo An following behind.

"It would be better to sell the farm, take the money and move to the city than to live here in constant fear."

Luo An remained silent, knowing that they had gotten to the point.

"Your father is old. When I came to see him, I mentioned this to him, but he was unwilling to sell the farm, which led to this tragedy."

Brian casually glanced at Roan.

"At the time, he considered that you were about to come of age and wanted to ask me to let you enter the guard regiment for training."

"You can report to the guard regiment anytime you wish, and become a guard to serve me in the future."

"If you perform exceptionally well in the regiment and fight bravely, I can recommend you to the Empire and make you an Imperial soldier of unparalleled glory."

Imperial soldiers?

Luo An understood that becoming an Imperial soldier was one of the most prestigious identities an ordinary person could attain.

The guard regiment was merely the lord's private army, while the Imperial soldiers were directly under the Empire and held extremely high status.

If you achieve military merit, you can also obtain an imperial title and become a nobleman!

Although extremely dangerous and involving a constant presence of death, joining the military is truly the only chance for ordinary people to change their fate.

However, the requirements for becoming an Imperial soldier are very strict, requiring multiple rounds of screening, making it a selection process of the best of the best.

If he sells the farm and joins the guard, he will most likely only be able to work as a guard.

Recommendations are not so easy.

If Roan survives after becoming a guard, he will most likely end up like old Bell, retiring and being given a farm to manage for a while before being taken back under some pretext.

If someone dies while serving in the military, they receive nothing but the so-called "empty honor" of being buried in a cemetery.

"I am grateful that my lord is considering my future."

These thoughts remained unspoken as Roan bowed respectfully to Brian.

"My father wished that I could manage this farm well before he passed away, so I'm still undecided about selling it."

"Given that my father just passed away, I want to spend more time with him at the farm."

"My lord, may I have a few days to consider this? If I wish to sell the farm, I will certainly come to the main city to find you."

Brian nodded in understanding.

He imagined that if he extended an olive branch, any young man who had just lost his father and was left with no one to rely on would be grateful and accept.

"You've been through such a big change, you need to calm down and have some peace and quiet."

Brian was surprised by his composure.

"If it's your father's wish, it's fine if he doesn't want to sell the farm."

"Roan Bell, you are a good and filial child."

He handed Luo An a cloth bag.

"There's some money in the bag. If you want to run a farm, go to the city and buy some slaves."

Seeing that Roan seemed about to refuse, Brian simply shoved it into his hand.

"This is a small token of my appreciation for my old subordinates; please accept it."

Luo An had no choice but to accept it.

"Thank you for your kindness, Lord."

Brian boarded the carriage, glancing back at Roan before entering.

"If we encounter another monster attack, it's best to abandon the farm and run away."

"Roan, whether you want to sell the farm or not, you can join the Guard. Your father was a warrior, and as his son, you should also be a brave warrior."

"Think it over carefully. I'd love for you to come anytime."

The carriage door closed, and the black-armored guards mounted their horses, surrounding the carriage as they quickly left the farm.

Luo An stood there until the carriage's shadow completely disappeared from sight before turning his gaze away.

He looked at the cloth bag in his hand.

The lord's actions upon arriving at the farm were very much in line with the image of a benevolent lord.

When Brian bowed to old Bell's grave just now, he caught a glimpse of the respect on the faces of the guards.

And when they made a series of promises to themselves, the guards' eyes flickered with emotion.

Brian did all this not only for Roan's benefit, but also for the guards.

Although they were in a superior-subordinate relationship, the guards were not slaves.

The more a lord values ​​his subordinates, the more willing his guards will be to serve him wholeheartedly.

"He outwardly respects my choice, but whether he really will do so is hard to say."

Roan did not believe that Brian would be as kind as he had been in front of him.

The good news is that nothing should happen in the short term.

He turned and returned to the house, facing the morning breeze.

Celia was still waiting for him inside the house.