Barrett’s arrival caused quite a stir among the knights of Blackstone Territory.
When Lei Luo introduced this seemingly down-on-his-luck old soldier to Captain Edd and the knights, and announced his appointment as the Chief Knight Instructor, everyone was stunned.
A lame-legged old man?
The Chief Instructor?
The knights exchanged glances, their eyes full of doubt and confusion.
However, this questioning did not last too long.
Early the next morning, Barrett appeared on the castle training ground, leaning on his wooden stick.
He didn't say any grand words, but simply had the knights perform their daily basic training—swings, blocks, sprints, and formations.
At first, the knights were a bit careless; after all, they had practiced these basic movements countless times.
But soon, they realized something was wrong. Barrett’s eyes were too sharp.
“That kid over there! Your sword-swinging posture is wrong, your wrist is too stiff, all your power is dissipated! Do it again!”
“Block! Block! Raise your shield a little higher! Do you want the enemy’s spear to pierce your neck?!”
“Sprint! Your steps are too messy! Maintain your center of gravity! You are a group of knights, not a group of headless flies!”
Barrett’s voice was hoarse but extremely penetrating, and every instruction accurately pointed out the knights’ problems; even the most subtle flaws could not escape his eyes.
His critiques were incisive and merciless, yet he always offered the most effective methods for improvement.
After just one morning of basic training, the knights were sweating profusely and complaining bitterly under his instruction.
But at the same time, their contempt and doubt vanished, replaced by a sense of awe and conviction.
They could clearly feel that, under Barrett’s guidance, their habitual movements still had so much room for improvement.
Captain Edd was even more convinced.
He was a pragmatic person to begin with, and Barrett's demonstrated professionalism and rich experience made him realize the value of this old soldier.
Especially the battlefield examples and tactical concepts Barrett occasionally mentioned, which benefited him greatly.
“My Lord, you truly… have discerning eyes!”
After the training, Captain Edd found Lei Luo, his face filled with genuine admiration.
“Instructor Barrett… is amazing! With his guidance, our knight squad’s strength will definitely advance by leaps and bounds! More of these newly recruited knight apprentices will also be able to awaken their Knight Seeds.”
Lei Luo smiled and nodded, not surprised by this outcome.
True gold, even if covered in dust, will eventually shine again.
Meanwhile, in the castle kitchen, it was a different scene.
Marlene indeed reported on time, bringing with her a large pile of her “treasures.”
Various oddly shaped pots, pans, and utensils, as well as a locked wooden box, which evidently contained her cherished family heirloom recipes.
As soon as she arrived in the kitchen, she displayed extremely high efficiency and control.
The previously somewhat messy kitchen was quickly organized by her, and the few kitchen assistants were directed around by her, yet they had no complaints, instead showing considerable respect for the new head chef.
At noon, Marlene prepared a sumptuous lunch for Lei Luo and the core members of the castle.
Although there was no roasted goose, several home-style dishes, such as pan-fried steaks, mushroom cream soup, and creamed potatoes, were all excellent in color, aroma, and taste, far superior to the previous cook’s.
Barrett ate with particular satisfaction, and even his gaunt face seemed to gain a bit of color.
Moonlight, in particular, ate until his belly was round, circling Marlene and “gurgling” non-stop, clearly having regarded her as “one of his own.”
Lei Luo tasted the delicious dishes, feeling joyful.
A good chef not only satisfies the palate but also enhances the overall quality of life and morale of the entire territory.
Marlene’s addition was undoubtedly the icing on the cake.
At the same time, good news also came from Old Buck.
Following Lei Luo’s instructions, he quickly organized manpower to isolate the wheat fields in the north that had developed rust disease and decisively adopted burning measures.
Although a small portion of the wheat seedlings was lost, the spread of the disease was effectively prevented.
This potential food crisis was temporarily averted.
“My Lord, fortunately, you discovered it early and handled it promptly.”
Old Buck reported to Lei Luo with lingering fear, “This rust disease spreads too quickly. If it had been a few days later, I’m afraid all the wheat fields in the entire northern district would have suffered!”
“You’ve worked hard, Mayor Buck.” Lei Luo nodded.
The afternoon sun streamed through the castle’s stained-glass windows, casting dappled light and shadow. The lingering taste of Marlene’s meticulously prepared lunch remained, and Lei Luo wiped his mouth with a napkin; the satisfaction in his stomach made him feel exceptionally refreshed.
“Edd.”
“Present, My Lord.” Captain Edd responded.
“Assemble a small squad, bring a few good hunters, and we’ll go out.”
Lei Luo stood up and motioned to Moonlight.
Moonlight, who was dozing by the fireplace, lazily lifted his head, rolled his eyes, gracefully jumped off the rug, and followed Lei Luo, his tail tip gently swaying.
The group quickly prepared and left Blackstone Town, heading towards the woodlands on the outskirts of the town.
The primary target of this trip was the vanilla rabbit.
A wild rabbit named for the faint, peculiar vanilla scent in its meat, it is not only delicious but also reproduces quickly, and Lei Luo planned to incorporate it into the territory’s breeding program.
Upon entering the woodland, the experienced hunters immediately fanned out, relying on their keen observation skills to search for traces of vanilla rabbits.
“My Lord, look over there!” A hunter whispered, pointing to a patch of bushes.
Several gray-brown rabbits, slightly smaller than ordinary wild rabbits, were nibbling on tender grass, their ears alertly upright, and their nostrils rapidly twitching.
The knights tacitly spread out, cooperating with the hunters, silently forming a encirclement.
Moonlight was very interested in this hunting game; he arched his body and stealthily crept to one side.
Suddenly, one vanilla rabbit seemed to smell danger and abruptly kicked its legs, trying to escape.
In a flash, Moonlight pounced like an arrow released from a bowstring, pinning the startled rabbit to the ground with one paw, and the rabbit struggled a few times before becoming motionless.
“Well done, Moonlight!”
Lei Luo couldn’t help but praise.
The rest of the knights and hunters also acted quickly, using pre-prepared nets and ropes to capture them alive as much as possible.
After a busy period, they successfully captured five lively vanilla rabbits and were lucky enough to find two intact rabbit nests, with several newborn, still-blind little ones crying for food.
“Very good, take them back and give them to Marlene; have her find Old Buck to arrange a breeding ground, and have the kitchen staff look after them for now.”
Lei Luo looked at the little ones in the cage with satisfaction.
“Tell her that perhaps in the future, the castle menu can add a dish called ‘Vanilla Roasted Rabbit’.”
Edd and the knights also smiled; life in the territory was getting better little by little, and such tangible benefits were the most encouraging.
With the newly captured spoils, the team began their return journey.
The team had walked for less than ten minutes.
A strange gust of wind swept overhead.