Balancing on horseback was harder than he’d imagined.

Every time he swung the Long Spear, Black Wind would grow restless from the shift in his center of gravity.

The two-handed lance would always droop unconsciously during a Charge.

The moment he swung the heavy Long-handled Axe halfway through the air, Black Wind would make a sharp turn, nearly throwing Roland from the saddle.

As for the long-handled hammer, just keeping it stable by his saddle for an extended period made his arm start to ache.

These difficulties could all be boiled down to two main aspects.

The first was whether he could maintain his body’s coordination and stability while Riding and swinging a weapon.

This could be overcome with a little practice, thanks to the physical flexibility granted by[Twin Martial Arts]and the boost from his currently powerful Attributes.

The other, more crucial aspect was the degree of rapport between the rider and his mount.

The angle of force during a sharp turn, the control of rhythm during a Charge—both required an almost telepathic understanding between man and horse.

This rapport wasn’t something that could be compensated for by Riding Skill alone. It required countless hours of joint training, allowing the warhorse to learn the rider’s every habit of exertion, while the rider learned to anticipate the horse’s every instinctual reaction.

Black Wind was a fine quality horse, but perhaps because Roland had rarely ridden him into battle, he would instinctively resist the change in center of gravity whenever a weapon was swung.

Roland looked down at Black Wind’s darting eyes and couldn’t help but shake his head in resignation.

’If only Black Wind had half of Qiao’s Spiritual Attribute...’

Sean wasn’t the least bit surprised by Roland’s ability to quickly grasp the essentials of the weapons.

In his eyes, his brother was a true genius!

Back during their Basic Swordsmanship training, it had only taken Roland a few days to master its use.

Using Long-Handled Weapons on horseback was more difficult, but it certainly wouldn’t be a problem for Roland.

The following days felt like a return to the times of arduous training at the manor.

Roland wasn’t in a rush to succeed; after all, mastering Long-Handled Weapons was just a matter of spending more time.

In addition to his regular training, he also found time to practice the [Crescent Moon Guide] that Gandar had taught him.

Under the effects of [Twin Martial Arts], this Combat Skill was quickly recorded by his Professional Panel.

What surprised Roland even more was a discovery he made while practicing his Tricks.

Compared to [Flaming Arrow], [Mage’s Hand] had greater tactical value in certain situations.

This transparent hand, condensed from Spiritual Power, was nearly invisible to the average person.

While not as powerful as a [Flaming Arrow] boosted by Flame Affinity, its stealth and versatility could often achieve victory through surprise.

Especially when in the[Twin Martial Arts]state, he could fight with a weapon in his right hand while smoothly Casting with his left, the two actions complementing each other seamlessly.

As for the Elemental Plane’s encroachment near the manor, a letter from Bronson informed him that it wasn’t spreading quickly for now, so Roland wasn’t in a hurry to return.

Before he knew it, half a month had quietly passed.

THUMP THUMP THUMP!

In the twilight glow, Roland urged his horse into a Rapid Charge, the blade of his weapon tracing a silver arc through the air.

The instant Black Wind reared and spun, he dropped his center of gravity and swept the Long-handled Axe outward with a whistling sound.

"Nice!"

Sean clapped and cheered from the side.

"I knew you could do it, Roland!"

"It’s only been a little over ten days, and your form is already more standard than the old veterans in the barracks!"

"Cut it out, Sean!"

Roland laughed heartily, then deftly dismounted.

With a flicker of thought, a transparent Professional Panel appeared before his eyes.

In the Skills section, proficiency with several long-handled weapons was now conspicuously marked with "MAX."

Seeing this, Roland let out a long sigh of relief.

’Next, the only requirement left to become a[Knight’s Attendant]is to kill one hundred enemies while Riding.’

"Alright, Roland!"

Sean strode forward and clapped his close friend firmly on the shoulder.

"It’s my turn for night patrol these next few days, so I can’t hang out. When you get back, remember to tell Dad Gary not to wait for me for dinner."

"No problem."

Roland waved goodbye, watching as Sean mounted his horse.

A short while later, the sturdy figure vanished at the end of the forest path.

’Now that my Long-Handled Weapons are all at Full Level, and there’s still some time before the fleets from the River Domain arrive at Distant Harbor, maybe I should go to Songmu Town again and see if there are any Demon-slaying commissions?’

At this thought, Roland couldn’t help but sigh in frustration.

He had been running to the Adventurer’s Guild almost every day recently, but he always missed out on the already-scarce commissions.

And without a commission to guide him, it was difficult to track down Demons in the dense surrounding forests.

According to the receptionist, all the commissions had been taken by the same person, which only made him more frustrated.

’Just who the hell is so keen on slaying Demons? Are they camping out at the guild’s entrance every day?’

Just as he was thinking, he suddenly heard the faint sound of a dry branch snapping.

RUSTLE RUSTLE RUSTLE!

Hearing the sound, Roland’s right hand instinctively went to his sword hilt.

As the rustling grew closer, a blurry figure emerged from the thin mist at the edge of the woods.

At this sight, his muscles tensed instantly.

This was a spot Sean had specially chosen to avoid startling or injuring anyone during training.

For over ten days, no one else had appeared nearby.

He couldn’t help but be on guard when a stranger suddenly appeared in such a desolate place.

Although Wuxi Town had good public order, there were quite a few active Mercenaries and Adventurers in the surrounding area.

Ever since witnessing the vile behavior of those desperados in Songmu Town, Roland had always maintained the utmost vigilance toward such people.

But as the figure drew closer and finally pushed back a black hood, Roland froze for a moment, then slowly sheathed the Mithril Longsword he had halfway drawn.

"It’s you?"

"My apologies, Mr. Roland."

The newcomer nodded slightly, lifting the corner of her black robe with her left hand while placing her right hand over her chest in a standard salute.

Strands of silvery-white hair fluttered in the wind, adding a touch of liveliness to her already heroic features.

It was Teresa, the very same person who had joined forces with Roland to slay the Winged Dogman back in Songmu Town.

"If I remember correctly..."

Roland slowly relaxed his body, straightened his back, his tone tinged with a hint of hesitation.

"Your name is Teresa He... Her..."

"Teresa Hernandez."

Seeing the woman frown slightly, Roland gave a noncommittal chuckle.

"Alright, Teresa."

He crossed his arms and asked with a hint of curiosity.

"Did you come all this way looking for me?"

"That’s right."

Teresa nodded lightly and then took out a fresh sheet of parchment from her robes, which was clearly stamped with the exclusive seal of the Adventurer’s Guild.

"Mr. Roland, are you short on money?"

The moment the words left her mouth, she seemed to realize her phrasing was a bit impolite. She coughed twice before explaining.

"I’ve been seeing you around the Adventurer’s Guild in Wuxi Town a lot recently..."

As she spoke, the silver-haired woman’s slender fingers unconsciously tightened on the edge of the parchment, a flash of conflict in her eyes.

"To repay your previous kindness... would you like to complete this commission together?"

She paused, then added as if she had made up her mind.

"The reward... I can give you half."

Before she even finished speaking, her azure eyes dimmed slightly, and she pressed her lips together.

Realization dawned on Roland, and he raised an eyebrow with a peculiar expression.

"So you’re the one who’s been taking all the commissions lately?"