Chapter 4
After finishing his morning training, he meticulously washed his body. He didn’t want to hear anyone say he smelled of sweat.
After that, he ate again. Nutrition is just as important as exercise, after all.
Stew.
He had tossed in plenty of meat, vegetables, and tomato sauce, letting them simmer all night long. Surprisingly, stew is one of those dishes that can really ensure you’re getting your nutrients.
Using inexpensive ingredients is no issue; as long as they simmer long enough, they become tender and easy to digest, and common herbs like tomato sauce and basil add richness to the flavor.
“Whew, that was delicious.”
After eating, it was time to rest. Lee Han was meticulous about taking as much time to rest as he did to eat.
A short nap for 30 minutes.
It might not be as revitalizing as a deep sleep, but the benefits of a quick power nap are numerous.
A brief yet intense effect helps recover both physical stamina and mental fatigue.
After taking a nap, Lee Han rose and did some stretching.
Stretching after deep sleep, followed by vigorous exercise and then more nutritional intake.
After sword practice, he washed up and refueled again.
And stretching after a nap.
This is the routine that kickstarts Lee Han’s day.
A routine that has continued for about three years, and there hasn’t been a single day missed.
Even on the days he got pummeled like dough by the commander, it was the same.
“Honestly, I feel like I feel better after getting hit and then recovering like a troll.”
If you were to ask Lee Han why he endures such crazy training, he’d tell you it’s because it’s effective.
Training until his body feels like it’s going to break, and then recovering like a troll, only makes his body even better.
It’s just a tiny improvement, like that of a snail, but just the fact that there’s an ‘improvement’ is crucial.
Even if it’s just a 0.01 increase in strength and stamina, if you keep at it for over a hundred days, it’ll become an increase of 1.
After a thousand days, that’s 10.
After experiencing this firsthand, Lee Han consistently trained.
A 0.01 improvement might be despair for some, but for him—who’s neither noble nor has a decent mentor to lean on, and only possesses a healthy body—this subtle growth is like a beacon of hope.
Sometimes improvements come in at 0.05 or even 0.1.
The thrill of seeing progress in his development was unlike anything else, and Lee Han believed he was steadily moving towards self-fulfillment.
“…Ugh, but seriously, when will I ever win?”
But, you see, humans aren’t machines, and sometimes a gloomy mood can hit you out of nowhere.
Unfortunately, today was one of those days.
It wasn’t exactly a good day.
As Lee Han walked away from the area known for housing farmers and commoners, he found himself in the vibrant city that was the royal capital of the Pandragon Kingdom.
As he neared the palace, the grandeur of the capital became more apparent.
The city had grown tremendously post-war, transforming the once humble capital into a bustling metropolis fitting of a kingdom.
If someone familiar with the old views saw the current hustle and bustle, they’d probably be in disbelief and momentarily thrown off balance.
Once he stepped into the district where the nobles lived, the majestic palace caught his eye.
For some, it was a palace worth admiring.
While Lee Han too thought it was splendid,
“…I really don’t want to go.”
His facial expression was crumpled up, clearly showcasing his reluctance.
He stood there for a few minutes, as if engaged in a subtle mental standoff with himself.
Eventually, he resigned himself and trudged to the castle gates.
And then…
Bam!
“Reporting to Sir Ri Han!”
“Good morning, Sir Ri Han.”
“Yeah, everyone’s working hard. …But my name is Lee Han, not Ri Han.”
“…Isn’t that the same thing?”
“…Grandpa. The esteemed Lee family is being disrespected by these medieval folks. Should I just beat them up?”
[Stop babbling nonsense and just do your job, kid.]
“…Yes, sir.”
Lee Han nodded, imagining his (previous life) grandfather saying just that, and presented a token.
A necklace resembling a military ID tag.
The soldier illuminated the token with a magical item, and it glowed blue, kind of like technology you’d see with fingerprint or iris scanners.
Magic is truly fascinating.
“No problem. Have a good day today, Sir Ri Han.”
“…I don’t want to have a hard time.”
“Haha, you’re quite the joker.”
What’s so funny about this guy?
Lee Han felt annoyed as he entered the castle, the stark contrast of his sour mood against the cheerful ambiance around him.
While others might not realize it, he had accumulated a fair amount of stress, and he worried that poking him right now might just set him off.
Just let one of them try.
With that thought, Lee Han quickly headed towards the outskirts where the knights were.
“It’s Lee Han.”
“Here.”
“What’s on your mind today?”
“Is the commander around?”
Lee Han, clad in armor similar to theirs, was greeted (?) by a bunch of guys wearing white armor emblazoned with a white lion, all of them slyly avoiding his gaze.
‘These guys have no guts. If a commoner had come, they would’ve been glaring, hurling insults, and looking for a fight, right? They’d have rushed at him, pushing him into traps, and sent assassins. Why is there no spirit among them?’
‘The old timers were way more spirited.’
Nobles back then would try to pick fights, sending assassins, and even plotting his demise during sparring bouts.
Those encounters had been quite entertaining.
Each time stress piled up, they inadvertently gave Lee Han a valid excuse to thrash someone.
But now, things had changed.
Maybe because he had thumped so many of those types, suddenly those looking to pick a fight with him ceased to exist.
This? A sign of changing times.
He felt the passage of time acutely.
‘I should’ve left some lowlifes.’
Should have kept a few around to provoke later for a legitimate reason to smack them down.
“As a hint of regret surfaced, Lee Han, what’s with that face? You look like you’re ready to end someone.”
“…Wouldn’t you want to pick a fight with me?”
“No way. What kind of lunatic would pick a fight with a monster like you?”
“You’re exaggerating.”
“…No, seriously, I’m not exaggerating, dude.”
Jake was one of the rare nobles who didn’t look down on Lee Han as a commoner, and among the very few genuinely nice guys in the knight squad.
He even called him Lee Han like a normal person.
Skill-wise, he ranked among the top in their order, and was a decent sparring partner.
“Don’t look at me like that. Sparring with you would freeze my bones.”
Jake didn’t let Lee Han get a word in, clearly preventing a potential crisis.
Slick guy, isn’t he?
“Nobles should show some guts! If a commoner is acting all high-and-mighty, they should strut around like they might just kill them, right?”
“I can’t speak for the others, but it’s clear your understanding of nobility is pretty narrow.”
Jake had joined the knights alongside Lee Han.
So, he knew well how much Lee Han clashed with nobles back in the early days of the order.
And he also knew exactly what fate had befallen those nobles who had dared to challenge Lee Han.
‘Hmm, still gives me the shivers.’
The shock from that day had left a heavy impression on Jake.
After toying with Lee Han a bit more than what was considered fair, someone finally dared to cross a line, and from there Lee Han turned into a literal ‘demon’, beating them down mercilessly.
Others stepped in to try to stop the rampaging Lee Han, but it ended up hurting them a lot more than it helped—all needing to recover for quite a while.
Had the commander not intervened that day, three of those guys would surely have kicked the bucket.
Later on, there were talks in the order about how to expel or punish Lee Han, but they were brushed aside by the commander.
It seemed the commander was aiming to protect Lee Han in his own way, but observant members like Jake saw right through it.
Lee Han actually wanted retaliation and would have welcomed expulsion in a heartbeat.
If it weren’t for the commander, it’s likely he would have been booted out a hundred times over.
In that sense, the commander served as a shield for Lee Han, letting him vent his frustrations, and while Jake felt the commander was being overly lenient, he completely understood the sentiment.
To be fair,
‘Lee Han’s definitely a force to be reckoned with.’
Jake’s deep-seated wish to avoid fighting Lee Han stemmed from a sincere place.
*
Training in the knight’s order, to be frank, was just so-so.
Neither too harsh nor too easy.
There was, in fact, quite a bit of room for autonomy.
Anyone would think they were in Major League training.
From Lee Han’s memories, the Major League training focused mostly on individual effort.
Spending their own money, meticulously splitting personal time down to the minute to forge their skills and survive in an endless competition to earn the title of Major Leaguer.
That’s what the life of a Major League player was about.
Likewise, those who kept the title of knight were often either disciples of renowned knights or came from noble lineages.
Because of that, they tended to undertake personal training to hone their own capabilities, and wouldn’t dare show their training methods in front of others.
Their training techniques were secrets—assets!
‘It’s clear everyone here’s got their unique angles.’
Just like a tried-and-true family recipe handed down for hundreds of years, knights were like coveted treasures.
Every now and then, when they mixed things up, they’d surprise everyone with techniques no one saw coming.
Just like now.
Clang!
Crash!
Two knights squared off, wielding training swords that looked brand new.
Every clash produced dazzling sparks, and the grand display of advanced swordsmanship was even more mesmerizing than a circus act.
Splat!
One knight whipped his sword like a whip, applying pressure on his opponent.
What was astonishing was that the pressured opponent skillfully countered, delivering three strikes in an instant.
“Magnificent, truly magnificent.”
An exhilarating display of swordsmanship, entirely detached from Lee Han’s world.
It was a priceless experience that delighted the eyes and provided a sense of vicarious satisfaction.
…Though just watching swordsmanship doesn’t mean you can mimic it.
‘In novels, reincarnated characters are all prodigies and genius imitators, so why not me?’
There was a time when he attempted to observe the knights closely during sparring sessions to steal their techniques, but instead of stealing, he ended up with even more questions.
He couldn’t understand why they moved that way or why such destructive force came from those stances.
Rumors spoke of a technique called Tugiho (鬪技法) that noble families with deep history passed down, claiming that mastering it would grant the equivalent power of ten average soldiers.
There were also tales of striving toward a certain aura, but whether it’s striving or whatever, it was indeed remarkable.
It felt like an exhibition of swordsmanship straight out of a Wuxia novel from his past life.
…He envied it.
“You all have some serious skills.”
“Is that something you should be saying?”
“Huh?”
“Oh, sigh.”
Why is this guy suddenly looking for trouble?
Is this a sign he wants to fight?
“Just so you know, I’m not sparring with you, ever.”
“…Hmm.”
Lee Han was left disappointed.
It wasn’t just Jake; everyone else was also avoiding sparring, meaning Lee Han had no chance to relieve his stress.
‘Seriously, the youth these days—’
“Senior Lee “Han!”
“…Huh?”
“I want to request a spar!”
“……”
Oh?
‘Well, looks like there’s at least one promising lad.’
Lee Han flashed a wide grin.
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