87 Chapter 84 - A history lesson

The world had descended into chaos following the news of the demons waging war against the orcs, but the Grand Duchy of Valoria remained relatively stable. Situated far away from the conflict, it seemed as though the turmoil didn't concern them at all.

John, having been thoroughly beaten by Dante during their morning training session, found himself seated on a chair in the training ground. It had been about two weeks since his return from Ferrum Castrum, and his training routine had undergone a drastic change. Instead of solely enduring Dante's blows, John now dedicated an hour to practicing basic sword movements, another hour to physical training, and a final hour to defending against Dante's relentless offense.

Each aspect of the training served a purpose. The first two were simple enough, aimed at strengthening John's foundation and physique. The final hour, however, focused on enhancing his muscle memory and improvisation skills.

John, still catching his breath, inquired, "How are the harbor constructions coming along?" The early morning air was crisp as he awaited Dante's response.

Dante wiped the sweat from his forehead, visibly exhausted. The reason behind his perspiration was the same method he employed to strengthen John's body. Dante wore weighted cuffs on his wrists and ankles that grew heavier as his mana increased. The strain was evident, but he soldiered on.

"Well, there aren't many people in the empire who possess the expertise to build a harbor, and even fewer who know how to construct one in the frozen sea. So, progress is slow. Additionally, the dwarves aren't particularly fond of water, so that presents an additional challenge. It'll take quite some time before we can even devise plans for the harbors," Dante explained, his words accompanied by a weary sigh.

John nodded, acknowledging the situation. "There's nothing we can do about it. If there's no one available to design the harbors, our naval expansion will have to be put on hold for now."

Dante's curiosity got the better of him as he probed, "You know, I've been wondering… Why do you have such a strong desire to develop the north? You could have easily contended for the throne with my support, growing stronger on your own. Your actions, at times, seem enigmatic, especially considering your young age. Many here have come to the consensus that you're not an ordinary ten-year-old, so I can't help but be suspicious of what you might be hiding." Dante's laughter held a keen undertone.

"Hmmmm… What do I want, huh? I'm not entirely sure myself. I do have an end goal in mind, but I can't say with certainty why I'm going to such lengths. Perhaps it's merely a means of securing my future. I'm honestly not sure," John replied, his expression half-serious.

"Forget about it. I won't pry for now. Once you're ready to share, I'm sure you'll tell me. In the meantime, how is training going with your unit?" Dante changed the subject, his expectant gaze fixed on John.

John let out a deep sigh before answering, "Honestly, they're faring worse than I anticipated. I've been focusing on building their stamina for the past fifteen days, yet they haven't even managed to complete basic training. We haven't even had a chance to try out the new weapon prototypes I obtained from the science department. And the worst part is, they can barely stay mounted on their contracted beasts for more than five minutes before losing their balance and falling off." A frown crept across John's face as his disappointment weighed heavily upon him.

"That bad, huh? Should I come over today and assess the situation?" Dante suggested, rising from the bench.

"That would be greatly appreciated. And if you could, please help me optimize their training routine. I'm not the best at training others, so there might be flaws in my approach," John requested, prompting Dante to affectionately ruffle his hair. With a laugh, Dante replied, "Sure thing. I'll join you during the evening training session."

"Thank you, sir," John expressed his gratitude, bowing slightly before hurrying off to his room. He needed to freshen up, have breakfast, and prepare for Oberon's history class.

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As Oberon entered the lecture room where he would teach John, he inquired, "Did you study the book on the First Great Demon Migration that I gave you?"

John, with a slight frown, responded, "Yes, sir. Will you be testing me on it?"

Oberon chuckled and said, "Not exactly a quiz, but I'd like you to provide me with a summary of the events. It should be less stressful than a test, don't you think?" He retrieved a notebook and pen from his storage ring and settled down, prepared to take notes.

"Start now," Oberon commanded, his gaze fixed on John, who looked at his teacher with surprise. "You mean, right now?" John asked, taken aback.

"Yes, right now," Oberon confirmed.

"Oh, alright then, sir," John replied, collecting his thoughts.

"Approximately 350 years ago, the First Great Demon Migration, also known as the Great War or the Great Demon Invasion, took place. It's considered the most significant conflict since the war that occurred a thousand years ago, about which little information remains, even in the Great Imperial Library," John began, recalling the contents of the book Oberon had assigned him to study the previous week.

"The demon invasion caught all the races inhabiting the continent by surprise. While everyone was aware of the existence of demons, there had been no contact with them since the war a thousand years ago. The demons chose to isolate themselves on their own continent, situated east of ours."

"There are various speculations about the reason behind their isolation, ranging from a devastating plague to a great civil war. However, none of these theories have been confirmed, as the Yarcana Ocean, which separates our continents, has become an almost impassable region since the war."

"What is certain, though, is that the demon kingdom on our continent is a distinct entity from the one across the ocean."

Oberon interrupted with a smile, asking, "How can you be so sure? You've never encountered a demon, nor are you familiar with their culture or political system. Isn't that quite a leap?"

John pondered the question for a moment before responding, "A fair question, sir. I also questioned how historians and politicians could be so certain. However, I recall reading about the geography of the region in one of the books on geography you provided. It mentioned a peculiar phenomenon within the Yarcana Ocean that hinders communication across it. No communication crystals would work, and sending letters would be futile due to the treacherous nature of the ocean. Therefore, it wouldn't make sense for the current demon kingdom to be a mere puppet state of the one across the ocean."

Oberon's face lit up with satisfaction as he commended, "Excellent answer! Keep going. The exciting part is yet to come."

"Yes, sir," John said as he continued.