The training grounds of the Valecrest Manor stretched across a vast open section near the eastern side of the estate, separated from the main courtyards by stone walls engraved with the crest of the duchy.
Unlike the elegant gardens and decorative walkways of the manor itself, this place carried a rougher atmosphere, one built entirely around discipline and combat.
Rows of weapon racks stood along the edges of the field, filled with training swords, spears, shields, and wooden practice weapons of every kind, while several sparring platforms occupied the center grounds, their surfaces marked with countless scars left behind from years of practice.
The faint sounds of steel colliding echoed occasionally from distant sections where guards trained among themselves, while instructors barked corrections toward younger trainees attempting to imitate proper forms.
Yet despite the usual activity—
A strange tension had settled across the entire field today.
