Poor Noble Nord’s Adventure

26. The Daily Life Of The Apprentice Dragon Knight Nord 2

“…Pant, wheeze… th-thank you, sir.”

Out of breath, Nord expressed his gratitude to his training instructor after a strenuous sparring session using real swords. When he first joined, he could barely make it through the hellish “ultra-long” distance runs, gasping for air. But day after day, from late winter to the end of spring, his stamina and cardiovascular endurance vastly improved. Now, the endless laps around the training field served merely as a warm-up for him. However, after that, he would train with his instructor—a real Dragoon—and by the end of these live drills, Nord was utterly exhausted, to the point of nearly vomiting.

From the beginning, only those with the strength to subdue drakes could become Dragoons. Thanks to Nord’s achievement—his know-how in drake hatching and imprinting—the methods of raising them might soon change. Yet, as they matured, young drakes could still become ferocious and rebellious as ever. The battle prowess required of a Dragoon—a standard justifying the massive cost of maintaining drakes—demands skill. Dragoons sometimes charge into massive armies alone, a feat impossible without extraordinary power. Hence, the strength and combat skill Nord must develop—enough to slay a monster far surpassing drakes—equated to that of a Silver-ranked adventurer.

Stealing a drake egg from its nest and returning alive would be an exceptional feat for any adventurer. Because Nord accomplished this, he was welcomed with respect by members of the Iron Dragoons, especially the Dragoons themselves. Yet that is that, and this is this. By adventurer standards, Nord’s skill was akin to that of a Crystal-ranked adventurer. This was below the average knight of the Hamill Kingdom, making him unqualified for the elite Iron Dragoons. Normally, they’d send him back to an ordinary knight order, but Nord’s unique situation—already owning a drake and having data valuable to both the Iron Dragoons and Hamill Kingdom—left them no choice but to keep him.

Thus, Nord’s only option was to survive brutal training to reach Dragoon standards. With generous support for welfare and healing magic, death was not allowed. Thus, Nord steadily improved each day. Initially, he couldn’t even see the sword’s path as his instructor struck him, kicked him, punched him, broke his bones, slashed him, and battered him, leaving only his brain, heart, and a few places where healing magic couldn’t prevent scarring untouched. But Nord endured this ordeal, which he believed anyone else would consider “torture.” Slowly, he learned to anticipate and block invisible strikes, dodge, counter, and, though bit by bit, his pain lessened. Now, he could avoid fatal injuries and survive through the scheduled training without healing magic—albeit covered in bruises. Nord’s skill had vastly improved since joining.

The other Dragoons often witnessed Nord collapsing in exhaustion on the training ground, recognizing his growth and becoming inspired to push themselves harder, though Nord was too drained to notice. For once, his instructor praised him.

“Well done.”

Nord, his face drenched in sweat, managed a smile. Yet that quickly turned to despair when the instructor added with a smile.

“We’ll raise the level even further tomorrow.”

“Got it?”

The relentless instructor asked.

And Nord could only respond.

“…Yes, sir.”

Would this never-ending hellish training ever come to an end? He looked at the dark gray rain clouds gathering on the horizon as he panted, realizing rain was about to fall on the capital.

§

The first half of each day’s training consisted of physical exercises like running and sparring, followed by classroom lessons in the latter half. After the basic courses he crammed upon joining, Nord moved on to more advanced topics. Knights not only wore heavy armor and excelled in combat but also served as leaders binding an organization into a single, living force. In units of mid-size or larger, there were no commoners promoted from the ranks; every officer was a knight. The strength of a group depends more on command than the individual soldier’s strength. As one saying goes, “A flock of demon wolves led by a sheep is weaker than a flock of sheep led by a demon wolf.” The history of warfare on the continent of Ilva, taught in class, included cases where armies once thought weak triumphed over powerful nations under the guidance of brilliant commanders.

“Whether the troops you lead as a commander become a flock of sheep or demon wolves depends on you, Nord.”

These words from his instructor at the beginning of class resonated deeply with Nord, making him even more serious about his studies.

Nord was currently learning the principles of command from the perspective of a Dragoon. Dragoons need a wide range of knowledge. Beyond the usual knight’s education, their unique ability to fly meant they had to learn the roles of reconnaissance, deep-penetration raids, rescues, and even strategic operations beyond just tactical roles. But these were not things he could learn overnight. Thus, Nord was first being trained as a junior officer, then as a mid-level commander capable of tactical decision-making. His instructor was a man nearing the end of his prime, around the age of Nord’s father or even older. A veteran Dragoon, he generously imparted his hard-earned battlefield wisdom to Nord.

One day, as the instructor placed pieces representing forces on a map while explaining drake tactics, a question came to Nord’s mind.

“Yes, Instructor, I have a question.”

“Go ahead, Apprentice Nord.”

Nord asked the following…

“Instructor, many of the Dragoons, including yourself, are highly skilled in martial arts, but are there any Dragoons proficient in archery? If so, wouldn’t sniping from high altitudes be an effective tactic?”

Archery, as well as stone throwing or javelins, relies on relative positioning. Altitude makes a significant difference in range and power. The typical tactic for archers is to take the high ground, like a mountain or hill, giving them the advantage of distance and force. This technique—known as the “descent assault”—also helps them gain momentum as they charge down. Nord, having learned these tactics, questioned why they didn’t employ similar strategies from the heights drakes could reach. Especially since Dragoons excelled in all forms of combat, he wondered if there were any expert archers among them. Oddly, he had never seen any practicing archery at the training grounds.

After hearing him out, the instructor nodded thoughtfully and answered Nord’s question in full.

“First, there’s the issue of range. Even for a master archer, range has its limits. It’s already difficult to aim from a mountain down to an enemy at its base. When flying high above on a drake, you’re far higher than any mountain, and wind currents add complexity. The second issue is altitude itself. You know that arrows travel in an arc, and master archers account for this drop-off to hit targets. But the higher you go, the more unstable the position and the harder it becomes to calculate. Trying to pinpoint a moving target from a high-flying drake would be… well, close to impossible.”

With a wry smile, the instructor added, “If you’re just aiming broadly, it’s doable.” Nord nodded in understanding. Indeed, aiming from the back of a fast-flying drake would require skill beyond even that of an exceptional archer. He remembered Almina, a huntress he once adventured with. She was an incredible shot, yet he doubted even she could hit targets while flying on a drake. Someone who could would surely earn the title of “Master of Magic Arrows.”

The instructor then added…

“This is the most critical reason.”

“Once you’re mounted, the wings block any downward shots.”

Nord imagined himself atop a drake, picturing the folded green drake sleeping on the desk nearby. The little one had accompanied him during his training (though it mostly played around) and was now asleep after a hearty lunch. Someday, this young drake would grow to full size. Where would he sit atop that body? He observed its green scales, picturing it fully grown. Naturally, stability would be essential. Sitting on a constantly moving head or tail would be uncomfortable and tiring for the drake. Likely, the place to sit would be between the shoulders, the stable area near the shoulder blades. If he attempted to shoot from there, the wings—which spread wide and flap with every beat—would be a constant obstacle. Leaning out too far to shoot could cause him to fall, hit the wings, or puncture the membrane with his own arrows. The only options would be to aim upward with an arcing shot or attach himself with leather straps for stability, perhaps going into a dive or even aiming upside-down. That level of skill would turn the task from sniping to mere acrobatics.

“An excellent question, Nord. Good insight.”

The instructor usually referred to him dismissively as “apprentice” or “rookie,” rarely by name. But that day, he addressed Nord by name, which made him feel incredibly proud, a feeling he still cherished.

§

Newt, who had fallen asleep with a full belly, woke up from his nap and yawned. That marked the end of the lecture.

Afterward, the day’s activities and every little interaction with Newt were written down in a diary that also served as a daily report. Once submitted and approved by the instructor, the training was complete.

Additionally, on a designated day each week, as part of his duties as a trainee dragon knight, Nord would bring Newt to a research facility near the royal castle at the foot of the mountain, rather than to the Iron Dragon Knights’ garrison.

At the facility, researchers would read the report and observe Newt. Sometimes, they would even come to watch the training or observe daily life at the Ferris household.

According to the researchers, who specialized in wyverns, Nord’s records were incredibly valuable material. If things continued well, there could be revolutionary advancements in wyvern care.

“That’s great,” Nord thought. He wasn’t particularly interested in expanding the Iron Dragon Knights, but if he and Newt could show results, they would be recognized for their achievements.

This would eventually allow him to be formally appointed as a dragon knight, and most importantly, guarantee a substantial salary.

It had been over a year since he began working as an adventurer. There had been many encounters, farewells, and thrilling experiences, but what mattered most was earning money for the Ferris family.

His sister Hannah had managed to marry after many twists and turns, but his younger siblings were still small. His sister Lilia, the second daughter, had just turned 14 and started attending a girls’ school in the royal capital. Soon, there would be tea parties, social events, and other expenses.

The Ferris family’s debt still remained, and Nord had to keep earning to repay it.

Thinking back, he had panicked when the egg hatched, but maybe he should be grateful for Newt, the young dragon who rode on his shoulder and was getting noticeably heavier.

As Nord pondered, he gazed at the royal capital dyed in the sunset in the western sky, gently stroking Newt’s snout as he sat on his shoulder.

The scales, meant to be a deep green, were bathed in the red of the setting sun, cool to the touch.

Peeking out from the hood of Nord’s gray cloak, Newt looked at the same view, squinting, and playfully nuzzled Nord’s hand as if ticklish.

Newt’s happy chirps echoed through the mountains to the northeast of the royal capital.