Barrett's arrival caused quite a stir among the Knights of Black Stone Territory.
When Raylo introduced this somewhat shabby-looking old soldier to Captain Ed and the Knights and announced his appointment as the chief instructor, everyone was stunned.
'A crippled old man?'
'As the chief instructor?'
The Knights looked at each other, their eyes filled with doubt and confusion.
However, this skepticism didn't last long.
Early the next morning, Barrett appeared on the castle's training grounds, leaning on his wooden staff.
He didn't make any grand speeches. He simply had the Knights perform their daily basic drills—slashing, blocking, charging, and formation.
At first, the Knights were a bit complacent. After all, they had practiced these basic movements countless times.
But soon, they realized something was off. Barrett's eyes were too sharp.
"You over there! Your sword-swinging form is wrong. Your wrist is too stiff, you're losing all your Power! Again!"
"Block! Block! Raise that Shield a little higher! Do you want the enemy's Long Spear to pierce your neck?"
"Charge! Your footwork is a mess! Maintain your center of gravity! You're a group of Knights, not a swarm of headless flies!"
Barrett's voice was hoarse yet extremely piercing, and every command precisely pointed out the Knights' problems. Even the smallest flaw couldn't escape his eyes.
His critiques were sharp and merciless, yet he always provided the most effective methods for improvement.
After just one morning of basic training, the Knights were drilled until they were drenched in sweat, complaining incessantly.
But at the same time, their disdain and doubt vanished, replaced by a sense of awe and respect.
They could clearly feel that under Instructor Barrett's guidance, even the movements they'd grown accustomed to had a surprising amount of room for improvement.
Captain Ed was even more thoroughly convinced.
He was a practical man by nature, and the professionalism and rich experience Barrett displayed made him understand the old soldier's value.
He benefited immensely from the battlefield examples and tactical concepts Instructor Barrett occasionally mentioned.
"My Lord, you truly have... a keen eye for talent!"
After the training session, Captain Ed found Raylo, his face filled with sincere admiration.
"Instructor Barrett... is incredible! With his guidance, the strength of our Knights is sure to skyrocket! And with this new batch of recruited Knight Apprentices, more of them should be able to awaken their Knight Seed."
Raylo smiled and nodded, not surprised by this outcome.
True gold will always shine again, even if it's covered in dust.
Meanwhile, the castle kitchen was a different scene entirely.
Marlin did indeed report for duty on time, and she brought a large pile of her "treasures" with her.
All sorts of strangely shaped pots, bowls, and pans, as well as a locked wooden box which obviously contained her treasured family recipes.
As soon as she entered the kitchen, she demonstrated extreme efficiency and control.
She quickly organized the once-messy kitchen until it was neat and tidy. The few servants helping were under her command, running in circles to keep up, yet they had no complaints. Instead, they were thoroughly impressed by the new head chef.
At Noon, Marlin prepared a sumptuous lunch for Raylo and the core members of the castle.
Although there was no roast goose, the few homestyle dishes—like pan-fried meat cutlets, creamy mushroom soup, and cream-baked potatoes—were all excellent in color, aroma, and taste, far surpassing the previous cook.
Barrett ate with particular satisfaction, and even his gaunt face seemed to gain a bit of a healthy glow.
Moonlight ate until its belly was round, circling Marlin and purring non-stop. It had clearly accepted her as "one of its own."
Tasting the delicious food, Raylo was in high spirits.
A good chef could not only satisfy one's appetite but also improve the entire territory's quality of life and morale.
Marlin's addition was undoubtedly the icing on the cake.
At the same time, good news came from Old Buck.
Following Raylo's instructions, he had quickly organized workers to quarantine the few wheat fields in the North District showing signs of rust disease and had decisively burned them.
Although a small portion of the wheat seedlings were lost, it effectively stopped the spread of the disease.
The potential food crisis was temporarily averted.
"My Lord, thankfully, you discovered it early and dealt with it promptly."
Old Buck reported to Raylo with lingering fear, "This rust disease spreads too fast. If we had been a few days later, I'm afraid the entire North District's wheat fields would have been ruined!"
"Good work, Mayor Buck," Raylo nodded.
The afternoon sun shone through the castle's stained-glass windows, casting mottled patterns of light and shadow. The aftertaste of Marlin's exquisitely prepared lunch still lingered. Raylo wiped his mouth with a napkin. The satisfying meal left his mind feeling exceptionally clear.
"Ed."
"Yes, My Lord," Captain Ed answered.
"Assemble a small squad and bring a few good Hunters. We're heading out."
Raylo stood up and beckoned to Moonlight.
Moonlight, who was dozing by the fireplace, lazily lifted its head. Its eyes darted around before it hopped lightly off the rug and padded after Raylo, the tip of its tail twitching gently.
The group quickly got ready, left Black Stone Town, and headed for the woods on the town's outskirts.
The primary goal of this trip was the Vanilla Rabbit.
It was a type of wild rabbit named for the peculiar hint of vanilla in its meat. Not only was it delicious, but it also reproduced quickly, and Raylo planned to incorporate it into the territory's animal husbandry program.
Upon entering the woods, the experienced Hunters immediately fanned out, searching for tracks of the Vanilla Rabbit with their keen observational skills.
"My Lord, look over there!" a Hunter whispered, pointing to a patch of bushes.
A few grayish-brown rabbits, slightly smaller than common wild rabbits, were nibbling on tender grass. Their ears were pricked up warily, and their noses twitched rapidly.
The Knights spread out with practiced coordination, working with the Hunters to silently form an encirclement.
Moonlight was very interested in this hunting game. It arched its body and stealthily crept to one side.
Suddenly, one Vanilla Rabbit seemed to catch the scent of danger and kicked its legs forcefully, trying to flee.
In the blink of an eye, Moonlight shot out like an arrow from a bow. It pinned the startled rabbit to the ground with one paw, and after a few struggles, the rabbit went still.
"Well done, Moonlight!"
Raylo couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.
The other Knights and Hunters also acted quickly, using pre-prepared nets and ropes to capture as many as they could alive.
After a flurry of activity, they successfully captured five lively Vanilla Rabbits and were lucky enough to find two intact rabbit warrens. Inside were several kits, born not long ago with their eyes not yet fully open, crying out to be fed.
"Excellent. Take them back to Marlin. Have her ask Old Buck to arrange a place for breeding, and have the kitchen staff look after them for now."
Raylo looked with satisfaction at the little ones in the cage.
"Tell her that in the future, the castle menu might have a new item: 'Roast Vanilla Rabbit'."
Ed and the Knights also broke into smiles. Life in the territory was getting better bit by bit, and this kind of tangible benefit was the most encouraging.
Carrying their newly captured spoils, the group began their return journey.
Less than twenty minutes into their trek, a strange gust of wind swept past overhead.