Chapter 346 – I Need to Prepare in Advance (2)
The Scarlet Tower was the hidden blade of the Ducal Family. Since they aimed to overthrow the kingdom, they had no reason to adhere to the unspoken rules of the mage towers.
In my previous life, they wiped out any mage towers that disobeyed them. At the forefront of those acts was the Scarlet Tower.
Delmud, the master of the Scarlet Tower, had been raised by the Ducal Family with the express purpose of becoming the tower master.
He killed the previous tower master and their apprentices under the guise of a duel, seizing the tower by force.
However, no one could stop him. There wasn’t a legal basis to intervene in what was deemed a legitimate duel, and even if there had been, no one dared to. After all, in a mage tower, a mage’s rank was determined by strength.
Conversely, this meant that if that bastard were killed, the Scarlet Tower would inevitably crumble into disarray.
As I recalled my past life, I gave Claude new orders.
“Cut the price of the runestones supplied to the Crimson Flame Tower by half. Use it to expand their influence more rapidly.”
Claude and the retainers were all taken aback by my words.
“What? Even though we’ve obtained a massive quantity of runestones this time, are you really saying we should just hand them over at such a ridiculous discount?”
“Yes. Not permanently, just for the time being. The mages of the tower will appreciate it.”
Claude gave me a suspicious look. I was not someone who handed out anything for free without reason. If anything, I was more often the one taking things from others. This very estate had been seized by me, hadn’t it?
“Why are you doing this?”
“Well… we’ve already sent a lot of mages to the tower branch there. Consider it a gift, maybe?”
“…”
None of the retainers in the room believed my words. My tone alone made it clear I was reluctant, as if I was forcing myself to give something away.
As they suspected, I had a deliberate reason for supporting the Crimson Flame Tower.
‘The Scarlet Tower must be in a headache right about now.’
The mission handed to the Scarlet Tower was to destroy the Crimson Flame Tower. For that purpose, they had been receiving massive financial support from the Ducal Family and Harold.
With that money, they monopolized the runestones, aiming to strangle the Crimson Flame Tower into submission.
However, their plan started unraveling after I appeared. With the runestones I supplied, the Crimson Flame Tower had revived.
‘I need to strengthen the Crimson Flame Tower further so that those bastards are forced to pick a fight.’
It wasn’t easy to attack the Scarlet Tower directly. While I could manage it, it would result in significant losses.
Leaving aside the political ramifications, the mages of the tower were highly skilled, and their master was a formidable 7th-circle mage. Confronting them head-on would be disastrous.
Thus, there was only one viable method.
‘I need to lure him out and personally cut him down.’
It had to be done outside of a battlefield, in a non-war situation. To achieve that, I needed to provoke them into taking action.
If the Crimson Flame Tower grew suddenly stronger, their behavior would undoubtedly change.
I planned to take advantage of that moment.
As I contemplated dealing with Delmud, another 7th-circle mage came to mind.
‘The 7th-circle mage of the Ducal Family, Elois.’
Before Delmud reached the 7th circle, Elois had been the only 7th-circle mage in the kingdom.
Most people didn’t know this, but I, who had fought against the Ducal Family in my past life, was well aware of the fact that he was a master of the 7th circle.
‘If I’m to face him, I’ll need to prepare in advance.’
Elois was an incredibly troublesome mage to deal with. Unlike others who simply wielded destructive magic to dominate the battlefield, he excelled at reshaping the environment itself.
Mages weren’t dangerous solely because of their destructive power. Their ability to alter the terrain and circumstances of battle in an instant made them a menace during wars. Elois was particularly exceptional in that regard.
While Vanessa could handle his subordinate mages, Elois himself was beyond her capabilities. I needed to devise a way to neutralize his magic.
‘I need to act while I still have time.’
After organizing my thoughts, I issued new orders to the retainers.
The administrative side was already fully systematized under Claude’s management, but the military side was still under my direct control, leading to overlapping responsibilities and authority.
“Our military has grown significantly. It’s time to establish a new structure. I am appointing Gillian as the Master of Arms for the estate. He will oversee the deployment of defensive forces and organize our troops in each region.”
“Wow!”
The retainers nodded as if they had been expecting this.
The position of Master of Arms involved commanding all military forces within the estate. While Gillian had already been acting with such authority, his formal appointment carried significant weight.
“I will fulfill my duties to the best of my ability.”
Gillain calmly knelt to receive his appointment.
Currently, the training, education, and management of the soldiers were being handled jointly by Ghislain and him.
With the increased workload in the estate, Ghislain would become even busier in the future. As knights required Ghislain’s oversight, they couldn’t be left unattended.
Thus, it was better for Gillain to take sole responsibility for training the soldiers.
Ghislain glanced briefly at Ascon and Lumina before speaking.
“The commander of the archers will be Lumina. You’ll also be responsible for training the newly recruited soldiers and managing the horses.”
“Yes, sir!”
While Ascon was the representative of the elves, Lumina had always been the one leading the archers. This formalized their separation of roles.
Ascon remained indifferent as usual. He had no interest in high positions and was already begrudgingly acting as the elves’ representative.
“The commander of the security forces will be Max.”
“Yes, sir!”
Max, a problem-solver caught gambling in the past, earned recognition for his skills and was granted a position.
Ghislain also promoted other commanders to new positions. The mages had already been reorganized under Vanessa’s leadership, so there was no need for additional appointments.
Since these arrangements had been planned for a while, the appointments proceeded smoothly.
At that moment, Kaor, who hadn’t left yet, began to rant.
“What about me! What’s my position? Make me the Knight Commander!”
Looking at the fuming Kaor, Ghislain stroked his chin thoughtfully.
‘This guy has a lot of potential roles.’
Kaor had been treated as a handyman even within the Ducal family. Nodding, Ghislain continued.
“You’re the commander of the Labor Assault Team.”
“That sounds so unglamorous.”
Kaor frowned deeply. While Gillain had been made Master of Arms for the estate, the position he received seemed too insignificant.
He couldn’t accept it. Even if Gillain had served the lord a little earlier than him, this was blatantly unfair.
Just as Kaor was about to flare up again, Ghislain continued.
“And you’re also the Predator of Leather from the Shadow Mountains and Fenris’ High Leather Priest.”
Kaor tilted his head, confused. The long title sounded grand but didn’t quite seem like an official position.
Still, as the Leather King of Ironcliff, he wanted something impressive from the estate too.
Seeing Kaor pout, Ghislain chuckled softly and spoke again.
“I’ll entrust Kaor with the Fenris Assault Unit.”
“Assault Unit?”
“I’ll select elite soldiers and hunters for you. I’ll also assign skilled mercenaries, including former mercenaries turned knights from the Cerberus Mercenary Corps to the unit. Of course, I’ll continue to oversee the knights’ training for the time being.”
Kaor cautiously asked, “What exactly does that unit do?”
“You’ll take on the most dangerous missions during wartime. For that reason, it will be composed of the most capable individuals. Additionally, it will operate as an independent unit, taking orders from no one except me.”
“Wow!”
The term “independent unit” made Kaor’s eyes widen with excitement, and others in the room were surprised.
Although small estates rarely had such units, large estates often maintained one or two special forces units. Their names and compositions varied depending on their purpose and mission.
However, the Assault Unit Ghislain spoke of wasn’t quite the same as those special forces.
Assault Units were typically associated with mercenary groups, as estate armies usually assigned knights to lead the first charge.
Fenris was no exception. Even in battles, knights led the charge, making an “Assault Unit” unnecessary. The Labor Assault Team, despite its name, was merely a penal unit made up of prisoners.
Thus, the Fenris Assault Unit would not focus on “assaults” but instead serve as a special task force for the most dangerous, gritty, and difficult missions during wartime.
The fact that it answered only to the lord made its role clear.
Even knowing this, Kaor grinned in satisfaction and nodded.
“A title fitting for someone like me.”
It was a manly job. Moreover, he wouldn’t have to take orders from Gillain, which pleased him the most.
In truth, Ghislain had merely expanded the Labor Assault Team and given it a new name. However, this special unit was bound to play an active role in various areas going forward.
“When you return to Ironcliff this time, recruit suitable hunters and leave them in charge before coming back. The deal with the Turian Kingdom has been stabilized, so Grant, the fortress commander, will oversee things in your absence.”
“Yes, sir!”
Kaor replied enthusiastically. While Ironcliff was liberating, its harsh environment could sometimes grow tiresome.
Now that he had become the commander of the estate’s Assault Unit, he looked forward to boasting about it and putting his recruits through rigorous training.
There was no need to mention the assassination unit, as Belinda was managing it well.
“Claude will handle support for all units.”
“Understood.”
With the reorganization and appointments complete, Ghislain concluded the meeting.
“Proceed as discussed regarding the Crimson Flame Tower. For now, focus on the recruitment and integration of the mercenary corps.”
Ghislain’s whimsical orders had resulted in Runestones being separately prepared for the Crimson Flame Tower. Teams had also been dispatched to recruit mercenary groups from other regions.
Dominic would now be responsible for deploying mercenaries where force was needed. Kaor had returned to the Shadow Mountains with the hunters, while Gillian focused on training the estate’s forces.
The administrators dedicated themselves to the estate’s development and various projects. They needed to leverage the newly acquired resources to accelerate its growth.
The estate was bustling with activity once more.
* * *
“How is it? Have you been managing well so far?”
“Yes, sir!”
Ghislain had summoned Arel to the training ground for the first time in a while.
Although Ghislain had been teaching Arel swordsmanship whenever time allowed, he couldn’t always oversee him due to his busy schedule.
As a result, Arel had spent most of his time training alongside the soldiers. Gillian occasionally gave him individual guidance, but it wasn’t enough.
“Now, I’ll teach you the Mana Cultivation Method.”
Hearing this, Arel’s expression grew tense. He had yet to learn the Mana Cultivation Method. While he was eager to start, he’d prioritized physical conditioning and hadn’t been able to learn it until now.
Thanks to rigorous training and proper nutrition, Arel had developed a remarkably strong physique.
“Sit down. You probably have some idea of what’s coming, but you must endure it. If you don’t, you could die.”
Clenching his teeth, Arel seated himself.
He had heard countless stories about how grueling it was to force the knights to learn the Mana Cultivation Method. He had prepared himself to some extent.
But Ghislain’s approach seemed slightly different.
“This is more dangerous than what the knights use. Steel your mind.”
Ghislain planned to instill a more powerful Mana Cultivation Method in Arel, one that had been modified but was closer to what Ghislain himself used than the one taught to knights.
“Let’s begin.”
Without further explanation, Ghislain placed his palm on Arel’s back.
Guuuuung!
A tremendous surge of mana flowed into Arel’s body, swirling like a storm inside him.
“Gah!!!”
Arel couldn’t help but groan, his eyes widening involuntarily.
It felt as though blades were slashing through his insides. He doubted he could endure it for even a few seconds.
His mouth fell open as if he might pass out right then and there.
“Endure it. Your survival depends on it.”
With immense force, Ghislain began carving mana channels into Arel’s body. As the mana coursed through him, Arel struggled to suppress his screams.
“Urghhhh…”
“Think about the savages. Remember that moment and endure. You must become stronger to exact your revenge.”
Those words made Arel grit his teeth so hard it felt like they might shatter. Overwhelmed by pain, tears of blood began streaming from his eyes.
Drdrdrdrdr!
A mana core formed just below Arel’s navel, sending mana radiating throughout his body. Despite the excruciating pain that tore at him, Arel held on.
What kept him going was a single, unwavering thought.
‘I must become stronger.’
Becoming stronger meant never experiencing such suffering again. It meant being able to protect the people he loved in this harsh world.
Fueled by this resolve, Arel endured the torment, even as blood poured from his eyes, nose, mouth, and ears.
Watching the mana settle into Arel’s body, Ghislain gave a small nod.
‘As I thought, he could endure it.’
The reason Ghislain had chosen to teach Arel a more powerful and dangerous Mana Cultivation Method than what knights used was his faith in Arel’s tenacity.
In his past life, Arel had been killed by one of Ghislain’s subordinates during the Year-Long War, Ghislain held no particular grudge against him.
Arel had nothing to do with the downfall of Ferdium; he was simply a man obsessed with slaughtering savages.
Ghislain didn’t know how Arel had survived in his past life, but he had caught Harold’s attention, become a knight, and eventually been appointed commander of the Northern Fortress in place of the destroyed Ferdium.
His relentless desire for vengeance against the savages had likely earned him that recognition.
Arel’s countless victories against the savages had brought him accolades, eventually leading to a barony and the infamous title of Savage Slayer.
He had reached such heights through sheer vengeance-fueled determination and unyielding grit.
Without extraordinary mental fortitude and an unrelenting drive, it would have been impossible.
It was this that Ghislain trusted when he decided to teach Arel the stronger and more dangerous Mana Cultivation Method.
Guoooo!
Mana circulated fiercely, gradually taking root within Arel’s body. While it was only a short time for Ghislain, it must have felt like an eternity to Arel, who was consumed by pain.
Yet, as Ghislain had anticipated, Arel endured, even as blood poured from his body.
The raw intensity of the method would have broken even seasoned mercenaries with well-honed bodies, yet this novice had withstood it.
With the foundation laid, Ghislain gently withdrew his hand.
Thud.
Arel immediately collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
Watching him, Ghislain smiled.
“Impressive.”
The ordeal would have been unbearable for most, but Arel had survived. His reputation for resilience in his past life was no exaggeration.
“Hm, I’ll need to do this a few more times. How should I handle it…”
This wasn’t the end. Like the knights, Arel would need to go through this process repeatedly to fully integrate the mana.
After a moment of contemplation, Ghislain nodded to himself.
“I’ll do it while taking him along.”
Ghislain had no intention of staying quietly in the estate.
To face the 7th-Circle mage of the Ducal family, he needed to prepare new powers in advance.
The time had come to acquire them.