Return of the General's Daughter-Chapter 283: Taught Him A Lesson

Sir Jansen’s expression twisted in disbelief and then slowly into amusement. He looked Lara up and down, scoffing at the sword she held with steady hands. The girl was wearing wide-legged pants, ideal for fighting. In his thirty-five years, he had never met such a bold girl wearing such an outfit.

She was beautiful but...

"You’re serious?" he said with a laugh, full of scorn. "Do you even know how to hold that, girl?" He used his mouth to point to the training sword in Lara’s hand. This isn’t a parlor trick or courtly display."

"I trained under a great master," Lara replied, her tone sharp and controlled. "I’ve crossed blades with veterans, and I’ve bled. If you want to test me, draw your sword."

Jansen glanced toward the nearby knights and squires, who had paused their drills. A hush had fallen over the training grounds. Word was spreading fast: the daughter of General Odin was challenging a head knight of the Duke of Arches.

"This is absurd," he muttered, but his pride was already stung. He couldn’t back down now—not in front of his peers.

"Very well." He turned, took out the training sword—longer than Lara’s, built for reach and force—and stepped onto the dirt circle with an exaggerated bow. "I’ll go easy, since you’re a lady."

Lara’s eyes narrowed. "Don’t or you will regret it."

Sir Jansen chuckled. "What a bold girl."

She stepped forward, sword raised in a ready stance, feet planted firmly. Her body moved with fluid precision—muscle memory drilled over countless sessions with her coaches in her previous life, and with Jethru.

Jansen lunged first.

His blade came down in a brutal arc, fast but predictable. Lara sidestepped, parried, and in one seamless motion, twisted around and sliced toward his exposed side. The strike didn’t land—he recovered just in time—but it was close enough that he stumbled backward. But then he felt a sudden pain in his right shoulder.

Gasps echoed around them.

"Sandoz said that you hit him because he was slow." Lara sneered.

Jansen’s smugness cracked. His eyes sharpened. He came at her again, faster this time, with a flurry of heavy slashes. Lara deflected two, dodged a third, ducked under the fourth, and drove the sword to his chest, knocking him off balance. Before he could recover, she hit his chest with the hilt of her sword. She was targetting the same places where she saw Sandoz’s bruises.

"You’re slow," she said calmly.

Growling, he struck low. She jumped back—but not fast enough. His blade grazed her thigh. It was not sharp, but she knew she would be bruised. Reya stepped forward, but Lara lifted a hand without taking her eyes off her opponent.

"I’m fine."

Jansen grinned, as he finally hurt her. He thought he found a weakness. "That’s more like it. Pain is a good teacher, isn’t it?"

The insult hit its mark.

Lara’s face hardened. She adjusted her grip and shifted her weight. Her next strike came fast—too fast for Jansen to block. She swept his blade aside, pivoted, and slammed the flat of her sword against his ribs with punishing force.

He gasped.

She didn’t give him time to recover. With a swift motion, he was behind him and hitting his back with the hilt of her sword.

The knights watching were curious. It seemed that Lara was targeting certain body parts of Sir Jansen.

Then she was back in his frront. "No pain, no glory, ha? Bull shit!"

With a swift motion, she drove her boot into his chest, sending him sprawling into the dirt.

Cheers erupted from the squires. A few knights exchanged glances, murmuring approval, but a few looked worried. Was it alright for their head knight to be defeated by a young girl?

Jansen struggled to sit up, his expression livid, but Lara pointed a knife at his throat. When did she take out the knife? Jansen did not even notice.

"I came here to check on Sandoz," she said. Her voice was quiet, but carried through the field like a command. "And I found him bruised, ashamed, and terrified to speak against you. That’s not training. That’s abuse."

"He’s soft," Jansen spat. "You can’t make warriors out of boys with lullabies and coddling—"

"You make warriors by building them, not breaking them," Lara snapped. "A boy beaten into obedience will never trust the sword in his hand. He’ll only fear the one in yours. And you are turning him into someone who would love to inflict pain on others."

She lowered her weapon, but her gaze stayed firm.

"I’ll report this to Duke Connor. I doubt your qualifications as a trainer," Lara spat.

Lara’s pronouncement silenced the surrounding squires and the knights. Wasn’t she going overboard, humiliating the head knight too much?

"And if I find one more mark on Sandoz, that wasn’t earned in honorable combat, I won’t be so kind next time."

Jansen looked up at her, seething—but silent. Then, tremblingly, he said, "Are you threatening me?" He looked imposing because he was standing tall.

"What if I am?" Lara lowered her voice, so only Jansen can hear it. She knew when to stop pushing buttons.

Jansen looked up at her, seething—but silent.

Lara turned her back to him.

"Sandoz," she called gently.

The boy stepped forward hesitantly, his eyes wide with awe. Reya placed a comforting hand on his back.

Lara crouched in front of him, brushing a lock of hair from his forehead. "You’re not weak or slow," she said softly. "And you’re not alone. I’ll make sure you train—but with someone who respects your strength, not someone who punishes your growth."

Sandoz nodded, trying to blink away tears.

Behind them, one of the older knights approached, clearing his throat.

"My Lady," he said with a respectful bow, "we’ve all seen enough. If you allow, I will personally oversee Sandoz’s training from now on. You have my word he will be treated with fairness and discipline—not cruelty."

"Uhmm," Lara was conflicted. She die not have the right to decide. Lara stood and returned the bow.

"Thank you. I will tell Duke Connor about this.

As she led Sandoz and Reya away from the field, the wind picked up slightly, carrying the scent of sweat and steel. Behind her, Jansen was being helped up by some squires. He felt utterly humiliated."

"Ouch! Be careful." He hissed when his wounds scraped against the armour of one of the squires.

Meanwhile, Sandoz, walking side by side with her, took her hand and looked up at her.

"Sister... I know you are strong, but I didn’t know you were that strong."

Lara smiled, the fire in her fading to warmth. "There’s a lot you don’t know yet. But you’ll learn. I’ll teach you myself, if I must."

And for the first time since she left Calma, she felt like she had carved out a small piece of justice in this unfamiliar world.