The Knight Commander of the Second Male Lead [Novel] Chapter 35

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Translator: Harry Potta

Chapter: 35

Chapter Title: The Captain's Test

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"What?"

She let out a hollow laugh at the sudden remark. Jin looked up at her with eyes full of sentiment.

"When you first came here, you were just this tiny little thing."

As he spread his thumb and forefinger apart while speaking, Nina's face fell.

"No, I don't think I was ever that small, not even right after I was born."

"Nah, you were exactly this big. And now look at you, all grown up."

Nina crossed her arms and looked down at him before smiling.

"Yeah, all grown up. I'm the captain now."

Nina and he were seven years apart. When she first saw him, he was already an adult, and now she was one too.

"I thought I'd never get to see you become an adult."

Mid-sentence, Jin suddenly furrowed his brow and added,

"Wait, thinking about it, aren't you not quite an adult yet?"

"Right? I'm twenty."

"Shouldn't we subtract two years or something?"

"It's been two years already. How do you subtract two years?"

I'm twenty.

Jin made a subtle expression at Nina's insistence, then let out a deep sigh.

"Fine, fine."

He started to habitually run his hand through his hair but stopped short. He couldn't mess up the neatly styled hair.

"Anyway, Nina la Del, my captain. From now on, I won't let you go anywhere alone."

I won't leave you behind like that day.

Nina squinted at his personal vow.

"What, a stalker declaration?"

"You just have to say it like that."

Jin raised his voice before sighing deeply again and lifting her into a hug to set her down on the floor. He said softly,

"Nina."

"Yeah?"

"Can I pat your head just one last time?"

Nina looked up at him upon hearing that. His green eyes smiled shyly at her.

Nina realized that after she became captain, he hadn't patted her head even once.

She smiled, lowered her head, and said,

"Just once?"

"Yeah."

Jin very carefully and slowly patted her head lightly.

As Nina lifted her head, Jin grinned.

"Shall we go then, Captain?"

"Let's do that."

Nina strode out confidently, and Jin followed behind her.

The training grounds were packed with people. It was impressive how so many had gathered in such a short time.

As the two in long coats appeared, all eyes turned to them instantly.

Right? The all-black uniforms are cool, aren't they? I know.

The Rubaenu Ducal Family might not excel at much else, but their uniforms were top-notch.

Coats were issued only to elites, so right now, only Nina and Jin wore them.

The Ebony Knight Order members already present saluted.

"I welcome all of you gathered here. I am Nina la Del, captain of the Ebony Knight Order."

No sooner had she finished speaking than gasps of bewilderment rose from here and there.

Nina ignored the sounds and continued.

"The test is simple. Perform one downward strike from above in front of me. I'll decide pass or fail based on that."

Murmurs erupted immediately after her words. They were far from friendly.

Jin's face twisted.

As he opened his mouth to speak, a burly man shouted first.

"That's ridiculous!!"

"Who was that just now?"

As Nina turned her head, the man strode forward.

He was nearly two meters tall, with a body like a barrel.

He looked like some bandit who'd heard the rumors and come running.

"Take a test from a scrawny little brat like you? Hilarious. Get a real person in charge!"

Nina smirked.

"Idiot."

"...What?"

"Idiot. You're an idiot for not even knowing who I am. Even beasts can sense an opponent's strength, idiot."

"Y-You wench!"

The man drew his greatsword. Jin moved to step forward, but Nina held up a hand to stop him.

"Why come at me? Try it. If you can land even one hit, I'll let you join the knight order."

"I don't go easy even on kids!"

"I know. You look that卑劣."

"You...!"

Without warning, he swung his massive sword.

The man brought it down swiftly from above.

Even Jin flinched, caught off guard, but Nina simply took a large step back to dodge.

With a loud crash, the sword slammed into the ground.

"Urgh!"

As he tried to lift it again, Nina stepped on the blade.

Clang.

A sharp metallic ring echoed. Everyone could tell there was a steel plate under Nina's boot.

The man strained to lift his sword. But it didn't budge.

"This...!"

His face flushed red as he tried to pull it back instead.

The next moment, it lightened as the sword slipped free.

As he gripped the hilt to swing again—

Nina's fist clenched, her waist twisting into view.

"Hya!"

With a cute shout, Nina punched him square in the face.

"!!"

A bone-crunching sound rang out, and the giant's body flew back before crashing into the training grounds.

Everyone gaped at the trembling man.

A person flew?

He bounced off the ground?

He'd probably live on liquids for the rest of his life.

Gazes that had been on the man snapped to Nina.

Nina chuckled and picked up his dropped greatsword with one hand, spinning it effortlessly.

"I can handle greatswords too, but they're a pain to carry around."

Whirl. The greatsword spun lightly in her hand like a wooden practice sword.

Fierce whooshes cut the air, her long coat fluttering lightly.

Thud!

She stabbed the greatsword into the ground and smiled.

"So, anyone else got complaints?"

Silence fell around her. Nina tilted her head and said,

"You know, I just thought we should change the format. One downward strike doesn't seem enough. Sparring would be better."

"Sparring... you mean?"

Jin spoke curtly as if questioning her sanity, then quickly added,

"Yeah. So all of you come at me."

Nina clenched her fist and grinned. As Jin started to protest, she explained.

"There are definitely people thinking, 'That guy let his guard down,' 'There must be some trick,' or 'It's rigged.' Right?"

Nina's voice rang clearly across the training grounds.

"So I'll personally jump in and sort you out myself."

She cracked her neck like a thug.

"Come at me with weapons. I'll draw mine if I need to."

The gathered crowd hadn't expected this and exchanged bewildered looks.

"Not coming? Fine, I'll come to you!!"

Nina kicked off the ground.

Raja Gota was one of the people from the Gota family who had come to join the Ebony Knight Order.

At eighteen this year, he had considerable confidence in his own talent.

Right up until today, this very moment.

"Argh!!"

"Ack!!"

"Snap out of it! Don't drop your weapon!!"

It was like a black flash in motion. The long coat fluttered like a cape, and no one's weapons could even graze its hem.

A punch sent someone flying out. No one withstood more than one hit.

Those kicked flew even farther.

Those who came in groups of two or three, sometimes four or five, tried ganging up but all failed.

Utterly overwhelming force.

This is the Ebony Knight Order.

Silver hair gleaming against black attire created a striking contrast.

Goosebumps rose all over his body.

So cool!!

Raja gripped his sword tightly with both hands. He had to show something impressive here to pass.

He dodged her closing distance with nimble footwork. Her golden eyes smiled as if amused.

Watching that, Raja swung his sword. She dodged easily, but he pressed in without faltering and swung again!

It was clearly aimed at her blind spot, yet somehow her face popped up right in front of him.

Stunned, he stepped back instinctively, and then his wrist was caught.

No way!

"Not bad? You're in."

"Ah—."

Joy was fleeting; the last thing he remembered was a strike to his solar plexus and his body floating up.

About a hundred people took the test that day, but only around ten passed.

Raja Gota proudly made the list of passers.