Lord of the Mysteries - Chapter 97

Chapter 97: Combat Teacher

At two in the afternoon, outside of a simple two-storied building that was in disrepair at the outskirts of the North Borough .

Klein, who was in his probationary inspector uniform, looked at the weed-filled garden and the vines that had crept up the walls . He turned his head in surprise .

"My combat instructor lives here?"

Shouldn't a combat artist who was selected by the Nighthawks be exceptional . . .

Leonard Mitchell, who had guided Klein there, snickered and said, "Don't underestimate Mr . Gawain because of his residence's surroundings . Although he was never conferred an aristocratic title, he was a true knight back in the day . "

Having said that, the poetic Nighthawk, who was dressed in a white shirt, black trousers, and buttonless leather boots suddenly felt melancholic .

"He was active during the waning era of the knights . The warriors donning their armors would storm through enemy ranks despite the gunfire and cannon fire, destroying their enemies and redefining the battle lines . But alas, they were quickly met with the invention of the high-pressure steam guns and six-barrel machine guns . From then on, the knights had to gradually step down .

"Mr . Gawain met the same fate . More than twenty years ago, the Awwa Knights' Order of Chivalry faced the most advanced weaponry of the Intis Republic army . . . Sigh, every time I recall this, it seems like I'm touching the dust heaps of history . The poet in me stirs when thinking of this irreversible and fated destiny, but alas, I do not know how to compose the poem . "

. . . Then what's the point in saying so much? Klein acted oblivious to Leonard's self-deprecation and gave a serious suggestion, "My university schoolmate once told me that the composing of poems requires a certain degree of talent . It's best you start by reading the Classical Poems Anthology of the Loen Kingdom . "

Leonard's mood changed on a whim . He replied with a light-hearted tone, "I purchased that book a long time ago, as well as other titles, such as the Selected Poems of Emperor Roselle . I will work hard to become a true Midnight Poet, Mr . Seer"

Is he hinting at the . . . acting method? Klein replied, as though he couldn't understand him, "You would still need books on grammar . "

"Alright, let's enter . " Leonard extended his hand and pushed open the half-closed metallic gates . The two of them then followed the path towards the house .

They were still a distance away from the house when Klein saw a tall man walking out from behind the main door .

He had short blond hair, his brows already laced with white hairs . His facial features looked like they had been ravaged through age, his wrinkles were etched deep across his face .

"What are you doing here?" the aged man asked in a deep voice .

"Mr . Gawain, as per your contract with the police department, this probationary inspector will be learning the art of combat under your guidance," Leonard explained with a smile .

"Combat? There's no need to study combat in this era . " Gawain looked at Klein with turbid eyes and said in a dead voice, "You should learn how to draw your gun and shoot . You should master the most advanced weaponry . "

Was this the psychological trauma caused by the six-barrel machine guns and high-pressure steam guns? Klein didn't give a reckless reply; instead, he smiled and looked at Leonard .

"The art of combat is still a skill a policeman has to master . Most of the criminals we face are not those who must be executed on the spot . Some might not even have weapons . In that case, we have to rely on combat techniques," Leonard said, obviously prepared for the situation .

With a dark expression, Gawain fell silent for more than ten seconds before saying, "Throw a punch . "

He was speaking to Klein .

Klein, who was not holding his cane, remembered the boxing matches he had seen in his previous life . He raised his arm and threw it forward .

Gawain's lips twitched indiscernibly . He thought for a moment and said, "Kick . "

Tilting to the side slightly and twisting his hips, Klein tightened his thigh muscles and kicked forward with his right foot .

Cough . . . Gawain covered his mouth and cleared his throat . He looked at Leonard and said, "I will honor my contract . But based on his foundation, he needs to come here four times a week, three hours each time, for the first month . "

"You're the combat expert . It's up to you . " Leonard nodded without hesitation . He smiled and said to Klein, "See you at dinner . "

After Leonard walked out the metallic gates, Klein asked out of curiosity, "Instructor, how should I begin practicing? Punching, or footwork?"

As a qualified keyboard warrior, he understood the importance of footwork in combat .

Gawain stood akimbo as he shook his head lethargically .

"What you need now is strength training .

"See those? Those are two dumbbells made of steel . They shall be your partners for today .

"Other than that, you also have to practice deep squats, running, and rope-skipping . Let us take those one set at a time . "

While Klein was still in a daze, Gawain suddenly raised his voice and said sternly, "Understood?"

"Understood!" At this moment, Klein felt as though he had returned to military training and was facing an inhumane instructor .

"Change out of your clothes . There's a set of knight's training clothes on the sofa . " Gawain suddenly sighed . He turned around and walked toward the black steel dumbbells .

. . .

Six in the evening, at a corner table of the Old Will Restaurant .

Other than Frye, who was guarding Chanis Gate, all the members of the Blackthorn Security Company were present . There were six Nighthawks and five civilian staff .

A white tablecloth was draped over the long table . Waiters carried over plates of food, portioned them before serving them to each individual guest .

Klein saw steaks drenched in black pepper sauce . He saw bacon, sausages paired with mashed potatoes, egg puddings, asparagus, and specialty cheeses . He even saw rose-colored champagne . However, he had no appetite . The training in the afternoon had nearly made him vomit .

Noticing the pale, newly-inducted Nighthawk with turbid eyes, Dunn raised the glass of red wine in front of him and laughed .

"Let us welcome our newest official member, Klein Moretti, cheers!"

The cold and introverted black-haired lady, Royale Reideen, the Sleepless Kenley White, the sloppy Leonard Mitchell, as well as the white-haired, black-eyed Midnight Poet Seeka Tron all raised their cups and looked at the new member of their team .

Klein fought back the discomfort of the training and raised his glass of amber champagne . He stood and said, "Thank you . "

He clinked glasses with every Nighthawk, tilted his head back, and finished the small amount of champagne .

"Is our Miss Author not going to say something on this occasion?" Dunn smiled as he looked at Seeka Tron .

Seeka Tron was a lady in her thirties . She had average looks, but had an exceptional demeanor, one that was quiet and serene . Coupled with her few strands of graying hair, it added a unique charm to her .

Klein had heard Old Neil mention that this Midnight Poet had taken on a side job as an author and had attempted to submit her works to newspapers and magazines . Unfortunately, only a few smaller newspapers had accepted them .

Seeka smiled and looked at Dunn .

"In order to make the term 'Miss Author' into a reality, Captain, I think you should give me some funds to self-publish my work . "

Dunn laughed .

"You should learn from Old Neil and give me a more suitable reason . "

"I'm most impressed with Mr . Neil in this department!" Rozanne echoed in-between her mouthfuls of roast mutton .

Amidst the chatter and laughter, Leonard looked at Klein and said with a chuckle, "Are you so tired that you have no appetite to eat?"

"Yeah . " Klein sighed .

"If you haven't touched your food yet, I can be of assistance . " Leonard acted as though he didn't want to waste any food .

Klein didn't mind . He nodded and said, "That wouldn't be an issue . "

And with that, a good portion of the food in front of him was eaten by Leonard and the rest .

Nearing the end of the dinner, the waiters served plates of beef pudding and ice-cream .

Klein tasted ice-cream and found it cold and sweet . It was particularly appetizing .

Before he realized it, he had finished the ice-cream drizzled with a blueberry sauce .

And as a result of this, he started to feel the hunger pangs . It was a hunger which demanded recharging food that came after intense exertion .

Swallowing his saliva, Klein looked to the front, only to see that all the plates were empty . There were no leftovers .

"Let's end the dinner here, and give Klein a final toast," Dunn suggested .

Before finishing his sentence, Klein asked, "Captain, may I order another plate of food?"

The group fell silent after hearing such a request, only to break out into chuckles moments later .

"Haha, you've finally recovered . No problem, order two plates if you want to . " Dunn shook his head and laughed .

While patiently waiting an unbearable amount of time, Klein heard his stomach growling .

Finally, a freshly prepared black pepper steak was served before him .

His fork and knife danced as Klein finished the medium-done steak in ninety seconds, tears nearly falling from his eyes . The meat juices and the fragrance of the sauce lingered in his mouth .

Sometime later, Klein let out a satisfied sigh as he looked at his empty plate . He put down his knife and fork and took a sip of his champagne .

"Waiter, the bill please . " Dunn turned around and called for the waiter .

The waiter went to the counter, then returned with the check . He gave a thorough breakdown,

"You opened five bottles of Desi Champagne, each bottle being twelve soli and three pence, a small glass of Southville Red Wine for ten pence . . . Each black pepper beef steak was one soli two pence . . . Each serving of beef pudding was six pence, the servings of ice cream was one soli each . . . The total would be five pounds, nine soli, and six pence . "

Five pounds, nine soli, and six pence? That's nearly my weekly salary! A restaurant is indeed much more expensive than eating at home! Klein clicked his tongue upon hearing that . He felt lucky that the Captain had said that he didn't need to pay out of his own pocket . They had some petty cash from bonus earnings!

He calculated the cost carefully and noticed that the most expensive portion of the meal was the alcohol . Five bottles of champagne had cost more than three pounds!

This is no different from Earth . . . Klein secretly rubbed his stomach and forced down the last of his champagne .

. . .

The next morning, Klein felt bloated . He tried to get off the bed in his sleepy stupor .

Just as he exerted strength, he was instantly awakened by his aching muscles . He felt as though his body wasn't under his control .

"What a familiar feeling . . . It's the same as that day after we got punished with frog jumps . Today is a rest day, but I still have to pay a visit to my mentor and see if I can borrow the monograph on the Hornacis main peak from the library at the University . . . " Klein's lips twitched as he made his way outside with some effort .

He wanted to draw a gasp with every step .

"Klein, what happened to you?" Melissa, who had just come out of the bathroom, sized up her brother suspiciously for his odd posture and slow movement .