Chapter 222 - 4: The Soldier’s Path
Chapter 222: Chapter 4: The Soldier’s Path
After Robson finished his guidance, the two soldiers quickly regained consciousness. They stared at the scene before them, their faces a mixture of confusion and helplessness.
It didn’t take them long to realize where they were and who stood before them.
The two soldiers immediately and deftly climbed out of bed, intending to place their hands over their chests in a salute.
"No need. Just stay seated," Robson said.
After becoming Extraordinary, the soldiers’ movements were noticeably faster. Robson had only just been thinking about his Extraordinary Soldiers, and they were already moving to salute.
Of course, this was also because Robson wasn’t currently in his Golden Tier state.
"What happened to you yesterday?
His Lordship just expended a great deal of effort to save you," Ais chimed in from the side.
"Oh, thank you, my lord, thank you..."
"Alright, alright. You are my soldiers, and it is my duty to protect you." Robson waved his hand to stop them. He appeared reluctant, but inwardly, his good opinion of Ais had risen yet again.
’My judgment is as sharp as ever,’ Lord Robson thought. ’That Ais really knows how to play his part.’
Robson might say he didn’t need this or that...
...but as a Commander-in-Chief, especially of a private army, authority alone wasn’t enough.
It was, as they say, a matter of inspiring both fear and gratitude—wielding authority and benevolence in equal measure.
He might have verbally dismissed the need for such displays, but having this story spread was precisely what best served Lord Robson’s interests.
He needed the soldiers to know that he, Lord Robson, was not merely a Commander-in-Chief who fed them only to send them to die on the battlefield.
He needed them to feel that Lord Robson was a man who cared for their lives. Authority boosted efficiency, but benevolence cultivated loyalty. He could not afford to lack either.
Hearing Robson’s words, the two soldiers reverted to their earlier state, looking lost and helpless under the watchful eyes of the nobles.
It was the first time they had ever spoken to the legendary lord. Although Robson sometimes practiced martial arts with them, they had never truly interacted.
This was the reality for most Peasants. In fact, their performance was relatively commendable, as they were both Non-commissioned Officers. This was also why Robson appreciated Ais so much.
Ais, having been with Robson for so long, could converse with him normally. He even dared to show initiative and think for himself, a truly rare and valuable trait.
"Don’t be nervous. Come on, test out your arms, your body. Can you feel anything... different?" Robson asked.
"’Different?’" The two soldiers put on a thoughtful expression, but in reality, their minds were a complete blur; they weren’t thinking at all.
Robson was patient with them. After all, this was their first real interaction; some nervousness was inevitable.
He couldn’t afford a single moment of impatience to be met with silence from the entire army. That would only make them fear his power without inspiring gratitude, and most importantly, it would kill their initiative.
Robson didn’t want his subordinates to be a mindless flock of sheep. He would need these men for the future development of his domain.
Therefore, Robson decided that perhaps the time to begin cultivating the common folk was now.
"Your battle aura. Like this."
Robson held out his hand, and a silvery-white current of energy flickered across his palm.
The two soldiers had a sudden realization. They finally understood what the noble lord wanted them to do.
A few scattered points of white light began to appear on their hands, completely incomparable to Robson’s stream of energy.
’So it really can’t compare to a true Extraordinary...’ Robson was somewhat disappointed. ’If they were Extraordinary who cultivated a Life Seed, they’d be able to manifest a mist-like battle aura by now.’
As he was thinking, Robson suddenly noticed the soldiers’ complexions were normal, aside from their initial nervousness.
"How long do you think you can maintain that state?" Robson asked, looking at the two soldiers.
"Maybe... until noon," the slightly leaner of the two soldiers replied first, prompted by Robson’s encouraging gaze.
"Until noon!" Valentino exclaimed.
Robson understood. ’It’s likely due to the different methods of storing battle aura.’
A normal Extraordinary polishes their Life Seed and uses it to release their battle aura. Robson’s Extraordinary Soldiers, however, were different.
They stored their battle aura in their acupoints. While this method couldn’t produce a massive burst of power in a short time, its strength lay in its endurance and sustainability.
Clearly, war wasn’t a series of one-on-one duels; you couldn’t win just by killing a few enemies. War, especially a protracted one, placed an immense demand on a soldier’s endurance.
It was hard to say which method was definitively better or worse. However, Robson had his own plans. He felt that sustainability was more suited to the coming situation facing the Frank Kingdom and his own domain.
The three northeastern provinces directly faced the Beastman Grassland. His domain might very well end up sharing a border with the Beastman Empire.
"Th-this... My lord, there’s nothing wrong with us, is there?"
Seeing the strange spots of light appear on his body, one soldier’s survival instinct overcame his awe of the noble lord.
Robson patted his shoulder.
"Don’t worry. You two have performed exceptionally in the army, haven’t you?
I recall two soldiers named Lambo and John. Is that you?"
Hearing Robson’s words, the two soldiers stared at him in shock.
"You’re both warriors who have slain over a hundred enemies. Don’t worry. This is a reward for your loyalty and bravery," Robson said with a smile.
Of course, Robson didn’t actually remember their names. To say he handled a thousand matters a day might be an exaggeration, but the army’s affairs were indeed numerous. No matter how much free time he had, it was impossible for him to remember the names of two individual soldiers.
He couldn’t remember, but his tactical interface could.
He only needed to check the interface to see a soldier’s basic information and kill count.
Robson said all this mainly to close the distance between himself and his soldiers and enhance his own reputation.
As for future punishments? Would that damage his reputation? ’Of course, there will be designated people to handle punishments. What does that have to do with me, Lord Robson?’
From the shocked and then slightly relieved expressions on the two soldiers’ faces, it was clear that their fear of Robson had lessened, replaced by a growing sense of gratitude.
"I, Lambo, thank you for your gift, my lord."
’A reward?’ The two had no idea who had given them this reward, but since Robson said so, they would take it as a gift from the noble lord.
Robson smiled, making no move to clear up the wonderful misunderstanding.
"First, give this a try. See how you feel now." Robson had someone bring a greatbow. With a bow of this caliber, hitting a target at a hundred paces was a trivial matter. Within three hundred meters, as long as your eyes were sharp and your technique was sound, you could kill an enemy in a single shot.
This was a bow meant for the Extraordinary.
The bow was brought over quickly, and both men drew it with ease.
"How does it feel?" Robson asked.
"It’s amazing! I’ve never used such a good bow in my whole life!"
Whether it was because the topic had shifted to their area of expertise, or because Robson’s friendly conversation had put them at ease, both soldiers were now beaming, looking much livelier than they had before.
"Good. Ais, transfer these two men to my Personal Guard Team. Have them go to the first regiment and instruct the other Archers. Understood?"
"Understood, my lord."