Translator: CinderTL
Maintaining balance on horseback proved far more challenging than Roland had imagined.
Each time he swung his spear, Black Wind would become restless due to the shifting center of gravity.
The lance, gripped with both hands, invariably drooped downward during charges.
The moment he swung the heavy poleaxe into the air, Black Wind's sudden turn nearly threw Roland from his saddle.
As for the polehammer, simply keeping it stable beside the saddle for an extended period left Roland's arm aching slightly.
These difficulties could be summarized into two key areas:
First, maintaining coordination and stability while wielding weapons on horseback.
This aspect, bolstered by the physical flexibility granted by the Twin Performance skill and his current enhanced attributes, required only a bit of practice to master.
The second, and more critical, factor was the rapport between rider and mount.
The angle of force during sharp turns, the rhythm of charges—all demanded a near-telepathic synergy between man and horse.
This kind of synergy couldn't be achieved through riding skill alone. It required countless hours of joint training, allowing the warhorse to become intimately familiar with the rider's every movement and the rider to anticipate the horse's instinctive reactions.
While Black Wind was a fine steed, perhaps because Roland had rarely ridden it in battle, the horse instinctively resisted whenever a weapon was swung, reacting to the shifting center of gravity.
Roland lowered his head, gazing into Black Wind's darting eyes, and shook his head in resignation.
"If only Black Wind had half the intuition of Joe..."
Sean wasn't surprised by Roland's rapid mastery of weapon techniques. In his eyes, his brother had always been a true genius.
During their basic swordsmanship training, Roland had achieved proficiency in just a few days. While wielding polearms from horseback was undoubtedly more challenging, Sean was confident it would pose no obstacle for Roland.
The following days felt like a return to their rigorous training days at the manor.
Roland wasn't in a rush to achieve immediate results. After all, mastering polearms simply required more time and practice.
In addition to his regular training, Roland also found time to practice the Arc Moon Draw technique taught by Gondar.
With the aid of Twin Performance, this combat technique was quickly recorded in his Job Panel.
What truly delighted Roland was a discovery he made while practicing tricks.
Compared to Fire Arrow, Mage Hand proved to be tactically superior in certain situations.
This transparent hand, formed from condensed mental power, was nearly invisible to the naked eye.
Though its destructive power couldn't match Fire Arrow's enhanced by his fire affinity, its stealth and adaptability often allowed him to achieve surprising victories.
Especially under the effects of Twin Performance, he could seamlessly wield a weapon in his right hand while casting spells with his left, their coordination flawless.
As for the Elemental Plane's encroachment near the manor, Bronson's letter assured him that it wasn't spreading rapidly, so Roland felt no immediate need to return.
Before he knew it, half a month had quietly slipped by.
Clatter, clatter, clatter!
In the evening's fading light, Roland galloped at full sprint, his blade carving silver arcs through the air.
As Black Wind reared and pivoted sharply, Roland lowered his stance, sweeping his long-handled axe in a whistling arc.
"Beautiful!" Sean clapped and cheered from the sidelines. "I knew you'd have no trouble, Roland!"
"In just over two weeks, your movements are already more precise than those of the veterans in the military camp!"
"Cut the flattery, Sean!" Roland laughed heartily as he dismounted with a fluid motion.
With a mental command, a transparent Job Panel materialized before his eyes.
In the skills section, several long-handled weapon techniques were prominently marked with the "MAX" label.
Seeing this, Roland exhaled deeply, a wave of relief washing over him.
"Now, the only requirement left to qualify as a knight's squire is to kill a hundred enemies while mounted."
"Alright, Roland!" Sean strode forward and clapped his dear friend on the shoulder. "It's my turn for night patrol these next few days, so I won't be able to keep you company. Remember to tell Dad Gary not to wait for me for dinner."
"No problem," Roland replied, waving goodbye as he watched Sean mount his horse.
In moments, the burly figure vanished at the end of the forest path.
"Now that all my polearms are at max level, and the River Domain Nations' fleet won't arrive at Far Ocean Port for a while yet, why not head back to Pine Wood Town and see if there are any demonic beast extermination quests?"
As this thought crossed his mind, Roland couldn't help but sigh in frustration.
Lately, he'd been rushing to the Adventurer's Guild almost daily, only to miss out on the already scarce quests.
Without a quest to guide him, it was nearly impossible to track down demonic beasts in the dense surrounding forests.
According to the receptionist, all the quests had been claimed by the same person, which only deepened his frustration.
"Just who is this guy so obsessed with exterminating demonic beasts? Does he sleep outside the guild entrance every night, waiting to pounce on new quests?"
As he pondered this, the faint snap of a twig breaking reached his ears.
Rustle, rustle, rustle!
Hearing the sound, Roland's right hand instinctively gripped the hilt of his sword.
As the rustling grew closer, a blurry human figure materialized from the mist at the edge of the forest.
Seeing this, every muscle in Roland's body tensed.
This secluded spot had been specially chosen by Sean to prevent training exercises from startling or harming anyone nearby.
For over ten days, no other person had appeared in the vicinity.
The sudden appearance of a stranger in this remote area couldn't help but put Roland on high alert.
Although Mist Creek Town was known for its good security, the surrounding region was teeming with mercenaries and adventurers.
Ever since witnessing the depravity of those desperate outlaws in Pine Wood Town, Roland had maintained unwavering vigilance toward such individuals.
But as the figure drew closer and finally lowered its black hood, Roland paused, his hand still halfway drawn from the sheath of his Mithril Longsword, and slowly returned the blade.
"It's you?"
"My apologies, Mr. Roland," the newcomer said, bowing slightly. With her left hand, she lifted the hem of her black robe, while her right hand rested over her chest in a perfect formal greeting.
Silver-white hair fluttered in the wind, accentuating her already striking features with an ethereal grace.
It was Theresa, the woman who had fought alongside Roland to slay the Winged Kobold in Pine Wood Town.
"If I recall correctly..." Roland slowly relaxed, straightening his posture, his voice tinged with hesitation. "Your name is Theresa H. H..."
"Theresa Hernandez."
Seeing the woman's slight frown, Roland chuckled softly, neither confirming nor denying his mistake.
"Alright, Theresa," Roland said, crossing his arms and tilting his head with mild curiosity. "Did you come all this way just to see me?"
"Yes," Theresa replied with a gentle nod. She then produced a pristine parchment from her cloak, bearing the unmistakable seal of the Adventurer's Guild.
"Mr. Roland, are you in dire need of money?"
As soon as the words left her lips, she seemed to realize her phrasing was somewhat impolite. After a light cough, she clarified, "I've been seeing you around the Adventurer's Guild in Mist Creek Town lately."
As she spoke, the silver-haired woman's slender fingers unconsciously tightened around the parchment's edge, a flicker of inner conflict flashing in her eyes.
"To repay your past kindness... would you consider completing this commission together?"
She paused, then added with a note of resolve, "We can split the reward fifty-fifty."
Even before the words fully left her mouth, her azure eyes dimmed slightly, and her lips pressed into a thin line.
Roland's expression shifted to one of realization, his eyebrows arching with a peculiar amusement.
"So, you're the one who's been taking all the commissions lately?"
(End of the Chapter)