Chapter 1640 - 105: Fox-and-Mouse Game (15)_3

Chapter 1640: Chapter 105: Fox-and-Mouse Game (15)_3

So Houdel suddenly pulled a "Monkey Climbing Tree," catching him off guard.

"I’ll do my best, but I can’t guarantee a win because I haven’t fought with the opponent," Axel picked up the monkey, looked at the other trainees, and then at the monkey. He suddenly realized that everyone else was bruised up except for the monkey, who had no visible injuries, so he asked with a smile, "Houdel, why just talk about others? Why is your face so clean?"

Of course, Houdel knew what the instructor meant. Embarrassed, he scratched his cheek and brazenly said, "If I had joined in, wouldn’t he have beaten everyone up?"

"So everyone participated except you?"

"That kid was caught by me. If I could use..." Houdel suddenly remembered that the instructor before him was also caught by him using a fishing net, so he quickly stopped and changed his tone, saying, "If I had joined in, maybe he wouldn’t have come today. With only me left, he would definitely come today. You don’t know, that kid is too much; he needs to be taught a lesson."

"In what way was he excessive?" Axel asked with a smile.

Houdel immediately began to vividly recount: "That day, we were originally here playing sword, and that guy somehow wandered over, stood by watching, and sneered while watching.

"I saw him standing alone and looking bored, so I invited him to join. At first, the kid pretended to be clueless, saying he couldn’t, but once on stage, he played dirty, riding Machiya and beating him. You see, making Machiya look like this..."

Saying this, Houdel pulled over Machiya, whose head was swollen like a pig’s head.

"He kept hitting after you surrendered?" Axel asked.

Machiya proudly puffed his chest, "I didn’t surrender!"

"Exactly! That’s how it should be!" Houdel vigorously patted Machiya’s back, making him grunt, "How can you concede when fighting the Imperial Guy?"

"Commendable courage," Axel chuckled, "But if he didn’t surrender, you can’t blame him, at least he didn’t..."

"That’s not the point," Houdel interjected, "The point is what he said was infuriating!"

"What did he say?"

"We lost fair and square, our swordsmanship wasn’t as good as his, we admit," Houdel said angrily, "But that guy, after winning, asked us who taught us swordsmanship."

Axel smiled, waiting for Houdel to continue.

"I told him it was learned from His Excellency Montaigne and Instructor Orange, and then he said, ’Not a great teacher’..."

"Indeed, I didn’t teach well," Axel said with a smile.

"No, no, it’s not over yet," Houdel interrupted the instructor, continuing expressively, "He said, ’Not taught well,’ I said, ’It’s our lack of skill.’ Then he asked, ’Do you know from whom your teacher’s swordsmanship was passed down?’"

Axel’s expression became more serious, "How did you answer?"

"I said," Houdel stood at attention, "It was passed down from Marshal Ned Smith."

"And then?" Axel asked.

"Then he asked me again," Houdel said, shame and anger mixing, "’Do you know from whom Ned Smith learned his swordsmanship?’"

"What did you say?" Axel’s smile had disappeared.

"I just ignored him, knowing nothing good would come out of his mouth," Houdel spat in disdain, "I told him directly, in three days, at the same time, we’ll duel again."

"Well done," Axel nodded and suddenly smiled, "I really want to see this Earl’s swordsmanship myself."

"I’ll go find him now!" Houdel took off, but after a few steps, turned back.

"Instructor, I have a bold request," Houdel asked awkwardly.

"Speak."

"When you introduce me, could you say... could you say that you’re one of my defeated opponents?"

Axel was momentarily stunned, then relieved, and laughed, "Why not? I was indeed your defeated opponent anyway."

"Great! Thank you!" Houdel jumped three feet high, shouting excitedly, "I’m going to take that [expletive] down today!"

"Take down your [expletive]!"

A shiny boot suddenly appeared, leaving a large shoe print on Houdel’s rear and sending him flying away.

"Who..." Houdel turned around angrily but swallowed the rest of his words.

Because the owner of the boot that left the mark on his rear was none other than Pretty Face.

But this time, Pretty Face’s face had no smile.

"Senior," Kadar first saluted Axel.

"What’s happened?" Axel returned the salute.

"There’s trouble," Kadar whispered.

"Is it because of that bell sound?" Axel pointed in the direction of Maplestone City.

"Yes," Kadar leaned in and briefly explained to the senior, "The messenger just arrived."

"Understood," Alsel nodded.

"Dismissed!" Kadar turned around, looking over the trainees, "Emergency assembly!"

"What about today’s duel..." Houdel was dumbfounded.

"Want to play swords?" Kadar genuinely hated sending his trainees out on scouting missions, but he couldn’t explain and could only sternly rebuke, "When you come back, you can play enough to never want to touch a sword hilt again in this lifetime!"

Houdel, like a sunflower struck by frost, dejectedly turned to leave.

"Bring your fishing net," Kadar said.

"Yes."

"And," Kadar paused a moment, "Don’t charge too far ahead!"

Houdel instinctively responded, though it’s uncertain if he heard it or not.

The trainees all left, and Axel watched them leave.

"Well then," Axel forced a smile, "I should return to the dormitory too, after all, strictly speaking, I’m still a prisoner of war."

"This time," Kadar said, "we’ll need to trouble you to step in."

"Oh?"

"Someone specifically requested your protection," Kadar hesitated for a moment, then decided to reveal the truth, "If I’m not mistaken, after this mission, you will regain your freedom."