Chapter 412: Time is Running Out. (3)
Clang!
The swords of the two clashed, sparks flying as they collided before separating again.
Ghislain grinned and spoke to Arel.
“Let’s go again.”
“Understood.”
Even with the estate’s busy affairs, Ghislain never neglected Arel’s training.
Arel had now grown into a striking young man capable of making many women’s hearts flutter.
However, his skills were even more renowned than his looks. Over time, he had endured hellish training, growing faster than anyone else.
His training was so intense that even the veteran mercenary knights who had followed Ghislain from the beginning were left speechless.
But that wasn’t all. Ghislain hadn’t let Arel focus solely on physical prowess like the other knights under his command. He had also arranged for Arel to study various academic disciplines by bringing in scholars from all over the estate, including military strategy.
It was a schedule that would be nearly impossible for an ordinary person to handle. Yet, Arel undertook it all without a single complaint, diligently fulfilling his duties.
“He’s a beast. A beast.”
“Where on earth did our lord find such a monstrous kid?”
“But why push him so hard?”
People often whispered whenever they saw Arel. His skills were clearly impressive, but the way Ghislain taught him not just swordsmanship, but also scholarly knowledge made many curious about his intentions.
Ghislain was aware of those murmurs.
‘They don’t know yet. They have no idea what kind of person he was in my past life.’
Commander of the Northern Fortress, Kaipiler.
A tragic genius. The Butcher of the Savages. The Terror of the North. The Kingdom’s Holy Guardian.
Arel Hydune, the Baron.
After catching the attention of Harold Desmond, who had risen to the rank of Duke, Arel was recruited and swiftly promoted due to his talent and relentless efforts.
He was eventually entrusted with the defense of the northern fortress in place of the fallen Ferdium.
Arel’s name even appeared in the records of the Forest of Beasts.
When the Grexes swarmed out of the forest and devastated the north, it was Arel who led the fortress troops southward in defense.
‘He was already somewhat famous back then.’
Driven by both revenge and his remarkable skill, Arel fiercely defended the north and slaughtered the savages.
The savages hated his name so much they grounded their teeth and cursed it whenever they heard it.
Of course, unlike the old Ferdium, Arel had the full support of the kingdom behind him, which made such feats possible.
‘Though I never saw his face in my past life.’
Before the One-Year War began, when the kingdom attempted to negotiate with the savages for the sake of expanding into the Forest of Beasts, Arel had strongly opposed the talks. But he couldn’t defy the kingdom’s decision.
Predictably, even after the agreements, the savages occasionally raided small villages for sport, and the kingdom turned a blind eye, dismissing it as minor incidents.
But Arel was different. Enraged, he led his forces and wiped out the responsible tribes.
This action reignited tensions between the savages and the kingdom. Since expanding into the Forest of Beasts was the kingdom’s priority, they accused Arel of insubordination and imprisoned him.
Afterward, the kingdom suffered massive losses while battling in the Forest of Beasts, depleting more than half the troops stationed at the northern fortress.
After all, with successful negotiations, there would be no need to maintain such a large force in the northern fortress.
‘That was where the records ended.’
Thus, Ghislain never learned what ultimately happened to Arel after that.
However, through various historical records, he had remembered Arel’s name, which was why he had taken him in.
At any rate, Ghislain was pleased that Arel had been following his teachings so well. That only made him more determined to support and guide him further.
What fueled Arel to keep pushing himself so relentlessly was his loyalty to the estate and his burning hatred for the savages who had massacred his family and village.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Being trained by such a master, Arel’s sword strikes were fierce. But simply being taught by Ghislain wasn’t enough.
To master Ghislain’s swordsmanship completely, one had to go beyond techniques one had to embody the emotions behind them. For that reason, Arel absorbed Ghislain’s teachings faster than anyone else.
After all, he had suffered pain similar to Ghislain’s.
Clang!
As their swords clashed again, Ghislain finally spoke, curious about Arel’s true thoughts. In his past life, Arel had opposed even negotiating with the savages, a defiance that had landed him in prison.
“Are you still not at peace?”
“I am not.”
“Then why don’t you demand we strike the savages?”
“…Because we have a treaty with them.”
“At the time, we ended things there to minimize harm and secure our goals. But if you wish, we can strike them again. I’m not so powerless a teacher that I can’t grant my one and only disciple’s wish.”
Ghislain smiled as he spoke, but Arel responded without hesitation.
“Revenge is important, but the estate the land where we live matters more.”
“Are you worried about causing harm?”
“No. It’s just that the estate and its people are more precious to me than my vengeance. And protecting them is the duty I have sworn to fulfill for the rest of my life.”
Ghislain smiled at Arel’s unwavering and upright response.
Arel had changed slightly from his past life. Now, he prioritized protecting what was precious over seeking vengeance.
If the legendary hero truly existed, wouldn’t they have the same character as Arel?
He valued the greater good above personal emotions. He could distinguish between duty and personal matters and knew the meaning of justice.
Thus, he endured his own pain for the sake of everyone else.
Arel was similar to Ghislain, yet entirely different in his own way.
Ghislain inwardly marveled.
‘To grow up so righteous in this estate…’
Honestly, Fenris Estate was filled with far too many bad influences for Arel.
Claude, Alfoi, Kaor, Ascon, Kane, Gordon, Lucas the list of people who could teach bad habits went on and on.
Yet, Arel had always resisted their temptations, focusing solely on bettering himself.
He had grown too righteous. Almost excessively so.
Ghislain smirked, lowering his sword before speaking again.
“That’s enough for today. If you wish to continue training alone, do so a bit longer and then attend your evening classes.”
“Yes, sir.”
“And… you’ll be fighting the savages again soon.”
Arel’s eyes widened at those words. Currently, Fenris, Ferdium, and the savages had a treaty involving the trade of food and horses. Fighting them would mean breaking that agreement.
“Do you mean…”
But wasn’t the entire kingdom, no, the entire continent in turmoil right now? Fighting the savages during such times seemed dangerous.
Ghislain gave a bitter smile.
“Even if I don’t strike first, they’ll move on their own.”
“Is that true?”
“Yes. Woroqa is an incredibly greedy man. If a civil war breaks out, he will definitely make his move. He might even act before then. He knows he’ll end up begging for food forever if things continue this way.”
In his past life, when Ghislain had invaded the kingdom, Woroqa had also tried to seize land by exploiting the chaos.
This time, however, the situation was even more complex with the involvement of the Four Major Temples and the Salvation Church. The civil war would be much larger in scale, plunging the kingdom into even deeper chaos. Ghislain was certain Woroqa would try to take advantage of that disorder.
It was crucial to prepare in advance.
Ghislain couldn’t predict how Woroqa would attack, but he was sure the savage leader would make his move.
“So wait until then. I will ensure you become the key figure in that war.”
“Yes, sir!”
Arel responded with determination. He desperately wanted to participate in that war and make a name for himself not out of glory, but for revenge. To win was the only way to protect the estate.
Even after Ghislain left, Arel continued his training with all his might. His goals and his willpower were strong enough to drive him forward.
After completing his personal training, Arel was heading to his evening lessons when he encountered Alfoi, who had somehow slipped out unnoticed.
“Hey, Arel! Don’t leave yet. Come play Odd or Even with me! I’ll even go easy on you at first.”
Standing beside Alfoi was Piote, sniffling and teary-eyed clearly having lost money again.
Arel bowed politely and responded.
“I have to attend my military strategy class.”
“Come on, just a few rounds! It’ll be quick. Don’t be such a stiff all the time.”
“Apologies.”
“What, are you looking down on me?”
“No, sir.”
“Then what? You think you’re above this estate’s life?”
“……”
“You’re acting all high and mighty just because you’re the lord’s disciple. Want me to show you some 5th-circle magic?”
“……”
“You’re playing at least one round today. You must have saved plenty of money by now, right? Piote here is broke already.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Hey! I’m not asking you”
Suddenly, a sharp voice interrupted Alfoi from behind.
“Alfoi! You said you were taking a break, but here you are again?!”
A flash of light, and Vanessa appeared before them.
“W-Wait, this isn’t what it looks like…”
“Why are you stopping someone on their way to class? You should be learning from Arel’s example! And Piote! Why are you here again?”
Alfoi stammered, clearly caught off guard.
“I-I just ran into Piote by coincidence. And Arel too! He’s always so boring, living like this. He doesn’t even have friends! Honestly, it reminds me of how you used to be so uptight it hurts…”
While Alfoi was busy making excuses, Arel bowed respectfully to Vanessa, his gesture full of genuine admiration for the estate’s greatest mage and dedicated hard worker.
Vanessa returned the bow with equal politeness. Truly, they were two exceptionally courteous individuals.
“Arel, please don’t mind this and head straight to your lessons. Piote, you too go take care of your business.”
“Yes, thank you, Lady Vanessa.”
And so, Alfoi was forcibly dragged away by Vanessa, while Arel and Piote were freed.
As Arel continued toward his lesson, he crossed paths with Kaor and a group of knights who had just finished training and were heading for drinks.
“Hey, Arel! Done with training? We just wrapped up too. Join us for a drink?”
“I’m fine, Sir Kaor.”
“Come on, you’re always so stiff! You’re a grown man now time to drink like one! Have some fun for once!”
“I’ll pass, sir.”
“What, you think you’re done being a knight or something?”
“…….”
“Nope, not letting you off today. I’m turning you into a real man tonight! The lord’s out on inspection, so the timing’s perfect! You’re coming with us.”
The knights erupted into laughter, egging him on.
“Of course! When the charge captain calls, you follow!”
“Aren’t you the lord’s disciple? Can’t miss out on bonding with the estate’s finest knights!”
“Let’s drink all night!”
Kaor held significant authority in the estate, and there were very few who could stop him when he decided on something.
Arel felt that this time, slipping away wouldn’t be easy.
Just as Kaor was about to drag him off, Gillian, who had just finished his own training, appeared.
Kaor immediately turned his head away, muttering under his breath.
“Ugh, that old man finished early again?”
Gillian immediately grasped the situation and gestured for Arel to go on.
Arel bowed swiftly and escaped, leaving Kaor and the knights clicking their tongues in disappointment.
Throughout the estate, Arel continued to face similar challenges. People constantly tried to tempt him into reckless behavior, unable to tolerate how morally upright he was.
There were plenty who wanted to corrupt him simply because he was too virtuous.
Kane, the lord’s cousin, was particularly persistent, often using his blood ties to Ghislain as leverage. But when those situations arose, Belinda would step in to help.
Claude, on the other hand, never managed to bother Arel much.
“Hey, Arel, you wanna make a dea ow! Stop pushing me! My leg hurts!”
Before Claude could even finish his schemes, Wendy would shove him away and force him to retreat.
Without these higher-ups stepping in at the right moments, Arel might have already been dragged into trouble.
‘Phew, I made it to class safely again.’
It wasn’t just swordsmanship and military strategy that Arel trained in daily he was also constantly tested mentally, forced to endure pressure and temptation.
Naturally, his patience and mental fortitude only grew stronger with time.
The scholars teaching Arel admired him greatly. He was a fast learner and always approached his studies with sincerity, making him a joy to teach.
That day, like all others, Arel completed his routine with diligence. However, unlike usual, he struggled to fall asleep.
‘Fighting the savages again…’
He had long awaited the day he could face them, but it seemed that day would come sooner than expected.
He had to grow stronger. Strong enough to avenge his slain family and village.
Strong enough to bring lasting peace to the north, so the people here would never again fear the savage invasions.
‘I will…’
He vowed silently to himself.
He would make sure no one else suffered as he had.
* * *
Meanwhile…
“Bandits? All of a sudden?”
“Yes, sir.”
Returning from his estate inspection, Ghislain raised an eyebrow as he listened to Lowell’s report.
Given the current unrest in the kingdom, bandit activity was plausible. Most lords had concentrated their forces on key strategic points, leaving villages and towns vulnerable.
But the locations mentioned in the report seemed odd. While some made sense, others like the routes near the northern and western borders stood out.
The sudden surge in activity after a long period of peace was also suspicious.
Lowell pointed to several spots on the map.
“With the Marquis Roderick gone and the west still unstable, bandits appearing isn’t surprising. But near our borders? That’s suspicious.”
The western bandits feared the name Fenris. Ever since Marquis Roderick’s defeat, many had surrendered without a fight.
The mobility of the Fenris forces was now widely known across the kingdom. If bandits appeared, they could be crushed in no time.
For them to act near Fenris territory was practically begging for annihilation. No bandit was that foolish.
Ghislain pondered for a moment before speaking.
“Could it be a diversion?”
“I think that’s likely. The only factions who’d want to distract us are the ducal families and the Salvation Church.”
“Hmm. Which means…”
“Yes. They’re likely trying to cover something up. And that could be”
Lowell grinned.
“the Rift we might have missed.”
Ghislain met his smile with one of his own.
“Any guesses where?”
Lowell pointed at a specific area on the map.
“Judging by the patterns, they’re carefully blocking three different estates’ routes. If I had to choose one, it would be the Barony of Finros, once aligned with the ducal faction. There’s also a small city nearby.”
Ghislain stood up from his seat.
“Good. I needed to head west anyway. It’s not too far. I’ll stop by and confirm it myself. We move immediately.”
“Shall I prepare the forces?”
“Keep it light just 200 knights for speed.”
“Understood.”
“Oh, and the medicine is it being distributed?”
“Yes, sir. We’ve been sending it to the royal faction and Ferdium as it’s produced. The formula has also been shared for additional production. As for the other kingdoms, Marquis Branford has taken charge of delivery.”
“Good. Time is running out.”
Ghislain gazed out the darkened window.
A few shooting stars fell silently in the distant sky.