Gaius’ eyes opened wide and his mouth gaped.

Wilhelm sipped his tea and waited until Gaius calmed down. After a few minutes, Gaius spoke.

“Your Highness, may I ask why you are going to such lengths to recruit me?”

Wilhelm thought for a moment.

‘I can’t just say he will become one of the strongest Apostles in the future. Let’s just say this.’

“Because you have immense potential.”

Wilhelm said with a smile.

“...Is that so?”

‘Doesn’t look like he believes me, well I just spoke the truth though.’

Wilhelm sipped his tea and continued to speak.

“Not only will I cure your sister, but as an Imperial Knight, you will be earning more than regular knights of other noble household. There are also a lot of benefits too-housing, connections, opportunity to learn, and many more.”

Wilhelm looked at Gaius in the eye.

“In return, what you have to do is swear loyalty to me.”

Although Wilhelm said it vaguely, swearing loyalty as a knight literally meant becoming his shield and sword. A knight should protect their lord and follow their lord's order, no matter what.

Gaius thought for a bit before he spoke.

“Your Highness, may I ask for another favor?”

‘Hm? I thought he would accept immediately.’

Abraham next to Wilhelm frowned and was about to say something but Wilhelm stopped him with a hand gesture. According to etiquette, commoners should accept whatever the nobles give to them, be thankful, and go on their way without trying to negotiate.

It was something Wilhelm considered as bullshit. It was not particularly a rule, just something commoners should do to avoid offending nobles. Wilhelm had no intention of pressuring Gaius with something like that.

“Speak freely. What else do you want?”

“Your Highness I-”

‘Hm? Why did he stand up?’

Gaius stood up from his chair and proceeded to kneel in front of Wilhelm with his head touching the floor.

It was a prostration.

Wilhelm’s breath caught.

“I am an orphan, i and my sister were picked up by a priest when I was a child and she was gracious enough to take care of me and my sister in an orphanage.”

“That priest is a good person.”

“She is. As I am an orphan, I have no family. I consider those within the orphanage as my family. However, I gained another family with the mercenary group I have now.”

Wilhelm started to know what he wanted to ask for.

“We are not from the same orphanage, but we are all beastmans sharing a similar fate. We promised to help each other to live a better life, that’s the reason why we formed the mercenary group. We consider each other as brothers.”

“Does this mean you are refusing?”

Wilhelm didn’t think so but asked anyway.

“Not at all, Your Highness. I just wanted to beg you. Please give my other brothers a chance at a job or a livelihood so that they can feed their own families. Although this might sound arrogant, I make up for a lot of the combat strength in our group. If I were to leave and become a knight, they might disband or worse yet, continue doing mercenary work and lose their lives.”

Wilhelm put the tea with a clank and leaned back towards his chair.

‘That scared me, since he went as far as prostating I thought he would ask for something ridiculous but just a job?’

Wilhelm sighed. Gaius flinched, since he didn’t know what was going on inside his mind, he became nervous.

“Please, Your Highness!”

“Alright, I hear you so you don't have to scream. If it’s just getting them a job or something it won’t be hard. But they will still have to work hard and if they are incompetent, they will be fired. Is that okay with you?”

“Ah, yes. Yes, that is fine with me!”

Gaius replied with a big smile. Wilhelm lazily supported his head with his right hand.

“Alright, I suppose you accept becoming a knight, right?”

“Yes, sir. I do.”

“If I may interrupt, Your Highness.”

All of a sudden, Abraham started to speak. Even though he had been silent all this time. Wilhelm looked at Abraham with intrigue.

“I do not mean to distrust your decision, but if a guy out of nowhere became a knight without proof. Then it would be quite unfair to the others.”

“I'm planning on making him start as a squire though?”

“Even so, being chosen by Your Highness is already a great honor in itself. Therefore, it would raise a lot of dissatisfaction from not only the knights but also the squires if he was chosen without some kind of proof he is worthy.”

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Wilhelm scratched his chin in thought and smiled.

“Then what do you think we should do?”

“I shall test him in front of the other knights and if he is worthy, I shall make him my squire.”

Abraham said as he looked at Gaius with a piercing glare. Abraham didn't like how he was rude to his liege, though in Wilhelm’s opinion negotiating is nothing rude whatsoever. Gaius, however, didn’t move away from his sight and returned his gaze. Gaius only acted subservient towards Wilhelm due to his status. Originally, he was quite daring.

‘I was planning on making Gaius be his squire, so this suggestion is good and all but…’

“Instead of that, why not have him spar with me?”

“Pardon?”

“...”

As soon as he said that both Abraham and Gaius looked at him with a confused gaze.

Wilhelm wanted to laugh at how synchronized they were all of a sudden, but he held it in and explained to them.

“If Gaius is able to match me, a renowned genius, then doesn’t that mean he is worthy?”

“But, Your Highness-”

Abraham was about to say something, but he stopped. Saying stuff like what if you lose meant he didn’t trust in his liege’s capability. Seeing how Wilhelm had a plan, Abraham stepped back and just decided to trust in him.

“How about it Gaius?”

“Uh, well I don't mind either way but…Is that okay with you, Your Highness?”

“Yes, it is. I am quite interested in your current strength, after all.”

Honestly, there was no master plan as to why Wilhelm wanted to spar with Gaius. If he had to say a reason it is simply because Wilhelm needed more battle experience and he wanted to fight against as many opponents as possible to gain that experience. Since it would be conducted in private it would not be a problem even if he lost, and Abraham’s word is enough to make the knights trust that Gaius is indeed worthy of being a squire.

Wilhelm grabbed a bell and rang it, Hendrick immediately came and bowed his head.

“What is it, Your Highness?”

“Prepare the training grounds, and make sure no one comes there.”

“As you wish, Your Highness.”

Hendrick bowed and left to go to work.

“Now then, shall we go? Gaius.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Gaius nodded with a determined gaze.

Soon, in the training grounds that the Royal Knights usually use, Wilhelm and Gaius stood against each other, while Abraham stood between them.

In Gaius’ hand was a wooden great sword while in Wilhelm’s was a regular wooden sword. Abraham looked at Wilhelm, and Gaius and looked at Wilhelm again.

‘Are you sure about this?’

Abraham didn't speak a word but Wilhelm understood his gaze. Therefore, he nodded.

Abraham then looked away and raised his arms as he shouted.

“From now on a duel will be held between Gaius and His Highness Wilhelm Von Heinberg.”

Although there is no one to explain to, Abraham continued to speak as this is one of the formalities for a duel.

“Gaius the man recruited by His Highness himself, shall prove his worth in his duel. Whether he is worthy of being a squire of a Royal Guard and an eventual knight will be seen in this duel. Let this duel be fair and honorable, under the name of Equinos.”

Both Wilhelm and Gaius readied their weapons.

“Let the duel begin!”

At Abraham’s words neither Wilhelm nor Gaius immediately rushed towards each other. Instead, they started sizing up their opponents.

After a while, Wilhelm made the first move. He dashed toward Gaius, mana surrounded his sword giving off a faint glow and the sword moved toward Gaius’s liver. Gaius blocked it with his great sword however the amateurish blocking created a bunch of openings and Wilhelm immediately pounced on it.

His blade moved in a brutal dance, each strike precisely aimed at Gaius’s throat, heart, lungs, and liver as it rained down upon Gaius. Although it was a sword made of wood, it would still hurt if it was mana-enhanced. Gaius tried his best to dodge, and parry. But it was futile as the sword continued to hit and ravage him.

“Ugh!”

Gaius groaned and tried to counterattack with a downward swing. His swings were strong, but that was it. It was too unrefined and too predictable to even be able to hit Wilhelm. Wilhelm tilted his sword and deflected Gaius’s strike as the onslaught continued.

The difference in skills and mana is too much, Gaius couldn’t help but be helplessly pushed back little by little. Wilhelm had something to confirm during this fight, and his intuition was right.

‘I became a lot stronger, or rather, my swordsmanship became a whole lot more skilled.’

During training the other day, Wilhelm had noticed that all of a sudden his swordsmanship became a lot more skillful, his movements far refined than just yesterday. Wilhelm deducted what could cause such a thing and eventually figured out that it was the [Sword Fiend]’s influence.

‘I don’t get why, but after I use the [Sword Fiend] my swordsmanship improved rapidly.’

Although Wilhelm couldn’t use the tons of different sword styles under the [Sword Fiend]’s belt, he could get a bit of a feel for it, and as for the Heinberg Imperial Sword Style, it improved leaps and bounds.

‘The more I use the [Sword Fiend], the more that my sword style improves. Eventually, I might be able to use the various sword styles.’

Wilhelm gulped at that realization, his mouth watering. Greed started to dominate his mind.

‘Then…Isn’t it fine even if I don't learn how to control the [Sword Fiend]? I can just use it a lot, and my skills will increase a lot…The only consequence will be that I will lose control every time but isn’t it fine to just surround myself with strong people who can knock me out?’

After all, if the consequence is just losing control, it's not that much of a problem. His thoughts ceased when Gaius swung his sword sideways towards him, Wilhelm blocked it and counterattacked smoothly with a kick to Gaius’s solar plexus.

“Guhak!”

Gaius flew a bit and rolled around the floor. His body is full of bruises but none were particularly fatal, after all, Wilhelm was still holding back in his strikes. It was pretty clear that Wilhelm is way above in terms of skills, strength, and combat capabilities than Gaius. In a way, Gaius was pretty weak, however, neither Wilhelm nor Abraham were disappointed. After all, Gaius had not used his greatest skill yet.

“Hey, isn’t it about time?”

Wilhelm said to Gaius with a frown.

“It’s quite insulting to not use your whole strength.”

Gaius exhaled and bowed his head.

“I apologize, Your Highness. But I promise that I never looked down nor intended not to use my whole strength against you.”

“Oh? Then is it a strategy?”

“It is.”

Gaius smiled as he said that, even though he had been beaten down, he did not show a hint of fear in his eyes.

“How foolish. Is your strategy getting beaten up?” Wilhelm said with a smile.

Gaius shook his head and continued with his words.

“You are strong, Your Highness. That’s why I don't have to worry about using this.”

As he said that, Gaius’ body started to grow. Blue fur started appearing all around his body, his muscles started swelling and claws started to appear in both his hands and feet. His muzzle also elongated and Wilhelm could see sharp teeth growing inside.

His already tall 190 cm height turned into around 250cm. The greatsword in his hands now looked like a regular sword. His pants were now the only thing that was still attached to his body for the other parts of his outfit had been ripped off due to the transformation.

[Beastification]

The strongest weapon a beastman has.

Usually, Gaius would only use this against monsters, however, he does not have to worry about using it against the prince in front of him.

“Now I shall get serious, Your Highness.”