NOVPUB"Look at this. No one these days has any faith, no faith at all," Ghislain clicked his tongue in disapproval as he observed the doubtful reactions of those around him.
"I've never lost a war that I commanded, not once... ever."
It was an incredibly arrogant statement. No great commander would ever dare to make such a claim. Yet, Ghislain spoke without a hint of shame—after all, ever since receiving the title of the Mercenary King, he had never lost a single battle.
Though he had died in his last battle, that loss didn’t count, as he had now come back to life.
At his self-assured words, Belinda covered her mouth and stifled a laugh.
‘Oh, how cute our young lord is. He’s only fought one battle... But still, technically, he’s not wrong.’
Others shared similar thoughts. Ghislain’s official record was 1 win, 0 losses, making his boast technically true. As irksome as it was, his war success rate was officially 100%.
Ghislain, noticing what everyone was thinking, smacked his lips in mild frustration.
‘Ah, this is for real. I’ve won countless battles, and yet no one believes me.’
Claude, looking at Ghislain with some pity, finally spoke up.
“I’ve heard that you’re quite capable in battle, my lord. But you won’t be fighting this war alone, will you? Even if we gather every able-bodied person from the settlers, we’d barely have a thousand soldiers.”
Though thousands of settlers had arrived, the number of those fit for combat was considerably smaller, and Claude’s estimate of a thousand was the absolute upper limit.
“Even if we train them all into soldiers, without proper training, they’re just a rabble. How could we wage a war with such a force?”
“As strong as I am, I suppose it would be difficult to fight with such a force alone. We could win, but it would come at a heavy cost... So, there’s no need for unnecessary sacrifices.”
“Yes, exactly! That’s why we should wait for another opportunity...”
“No. I’ll find the extra soldiers we need. Plus, we can train the forces we already have to become as strong as an army of thousands.”
Claude felt his heart drop at the absurdity of Ghislain’s suggestion. If it were that easy to create strong soldiers, then why would other lords be so desperate to increase their forces?
Especially in a time crunch like this, no matter how hard they trained, there would be limits to how much stronger the troops could become.
Just as Claude opened his mouth to voice his objection, Ghislain spoke first in an offhand manner.
“We’re going to establish the Fenris Knights.”
The gathered retainers blinked in disbelief, unsure if they had heard correctly.
Creating a knightly order without a single knight? Of all the wild things they had heard from Ghislain, this was the most baffling.
What exactly is a knight?
Knights are a powerful force capable of turning the tide of battle, akin to a human weapon of war. The number and quality of knights in an army often determined the outcome of wars.
Typically, dozens of knights were required to form a proper order. Thus, a “knightly order” symbolized the strength and prestige of a territory.
So when Ghislain, preparing for war, suddenly mentioned forming a knightly order, everyone was understandably stunned.
‘Does he think gathering just anyone and slapping a title on them makes them knights?’
‘You need to at least have some mastery of mana to be recognized as a knight, and how many people in our territory can even do that? Surely, the lord knows this...’
Knightly orders were usually found only in powerful counties or higher territories, and most territories didn’t have such forces. They might only have a few individual knights serving the lord. A barony like Fenris had no formally knighted individuals at all.
Knights were incredibly valuable, not just because they were difficult to come by, but also because maintaining them was expensive. Training, equipment, and the cost of keeping them ready for battle all required significant resources.
Naturally, Fenris had not a single officially knighted warrior.
Claude, unable to hide his incredulity, asked bluntly, “But we have no knights. How are we supposed to create a knightly order?”
“That’s exactly why we’re going to make them. We’ll turn the mercenaries and new recruits into knights. Of course, we’ll re-contract only those who wish to become knights and formally knight them.”
“You’re saying... we’re going to make knights?”
“Yes. Two months should be enough.”
‘Knights are not bread, for crying out loud,’ Claude thought, flabbergasted.
How could Ghislain expect to train soldiers who didn’t even know how to handle mana to become knights in just two months?
“Even the lowest-tier knights need to know how to wield mana. How are we supposed to teach that in just two months? Oh no... you can’t mean...”
Claude’s mind immediately flashed back to the mana-accumulating array they had previously created at a great expense. At that time, it had been used to cultivate monstrous grain, but the array was originally intended to accelerate knightly training.
Ghislain nodded as if he had read Claude’s mind.
“We’ll force them to learn mana. Sure, reaching a high level is tough, but getting them to the point where they’re low-level knights? That’s doable. I’ll even teach them the mana cultivation technique myself.”
“No, absolutely not!”
Belinda’s sharp voice interrupted Ghislain.
Startled, he looked over at her. “Whoa, why?”
“You’re planning to teach them the Perdium family’s mana cultivation technique, aren’t you?”
As far as Belinda knew, Ghislain had only ever learned the Perdium family’s method. And the family’s mana techniques were considered sacred knowledge, never to be shared lightly.
But Ghislain shrugged as if it were no big deal. “Yeah, that’s the plan. What’s the problem? If we’re going to create knights, they need a proper mana cultivation method.”
“That’s the Perdium family’s secret art! Do you understand why it’s called a secret? It’s not meant to be shared freely!”
Mana cultivation techniques were the foundation of a family’s power. Only family members or those with explicit permission could learn them, and they were never shared with outsiders.
These techniques were the key to maintaining the family's military and political dominance.
But Ghislain didn’t care for such notions of honor or secrecy. What use were traditions if everyone died because they were too precious with their knowledge?
“Even if it’s the family’s secret, we need to use whatever we have right now. We need strong soldiers immediately, don’t we?”
“But that technique belongs to your family! You can’t just hand it out like candy!”
“Isn’t it already spreading here and there through branch families or personal students? What’s the big deal? Besides, it’s not like all knights these days are nobles. Some of them must’ve stolen techniques from somewhere, right?”
“That’s... that’s different! That’s only a handful of cases!”
Sure, there were times when mana techniques were passed between master and student in the magic towers, or when a particularly talented commoner might be taught under strict vows of secrecy. But Ghislain’s suggestion of openly distributing such a technique was an entirely different matter.
“Who’s ever heard of giving a family’s secret technique to hundreds of people at once?”
“Me.”
“...”
Belinda could only sigh in exasperation at Ghislain’s audacity.
‘When he was young, I worried about him being too stingy. Now, he’s gone too far the other way.’
Frustrated, she glanced toward Fergus, the elder knight who always stood quietly at Ghislain’s side.
Fergus was officially Ghislain’s personal bodyguard, though the actual guarding was done by others. Still, as one of the elders of the territory, Fergus was deeply respected.
No one dared question Fergus, especially since Ghislain himself took care of the old man’s health, even personally circulating mana to help him.
Right now, Fergus was seated beside Ghislain in the great hall, the only person allowed such proximity.
Belinda quickly turned to Fergus, hoping he would back her up.
“He served the Perdium family for a long time. Surely, he’ll oppose this.”
But Fergus completely shattered her expectations.
“Hoho, let the young lord do as he pleases.”
Fergus’s eyes gleamed with pride. He found everything Ghislain did adorable—from managing the territory to holding meetings like this. To him, Ghislain was like a cherished grandson.
Belinda realized with a sinking feeling that it was hopeless.
‘He’s completely smitten! That’s the smile of a grandparent who would think even if the boy plucked his beard out, it would still be cute!’
Fergus, despite his indulgence, did add a word of caution. “But, my lord, you should still be careful when it comes to war. It’s dangerous.”
Ghislain merely nodded absentmindedly, clearly paying little attention.
Fergus, recognizing that expression, sighed. He had known Ghislain long enough to understand that once his mind was set, nothing could change it.
With Fergus’s tacit approval, Ghislain puffed out his chest confidently.
Belinda, seeing no other options, tried a different approach.
“Even if you make them swear secrecy, learning mana isn’t easy! It takes years of practice. How could they possibly master it in two months?”
It was a fair point. Mana cultivation wasn’t something you could pick up quickly. It required both talent and long hours of dedication.
But Ghislain, as usual, shrugged off her concerns.
“It’s fine. I’ll modify the technique, like I did with Vanessa, and make sure they learn it.”
“You’re going to force them to learn mana?”
“Exactly. Even my father and the knights of Perdium will learn my modified version. The Perdium family’s old method is outdated. It’s not as good as people think. I feel a little bad for the ancestors, but it has to go.”
Belinda could only press her hand to her forehead in disbelief.
‘This is madness. Does he hear himself right now?’
Sure, it was true that if you’re dead, it didn’t matter what titles or secrets you held onto. But how could Ghislain expect to train hundreds of knights in just two months?
‘It’s never been done in history!’
Moreover, he was not just modifying any technique but intended to toss aside the family’s ancient method altogether!
“The young lord is going to rewrite the entire Perdium family’s cultivation technique? Do you have any idea how dangerous that is? Only extraordinary geniuses can do such things!”
There was a reason why the original creators of mana cultivation techniques were considered legendary. These methods had been refined over centuries by extraordinary geniuses, and no ordinary person could tamper with them.
One wrong move and the people learning the technique could end up crippled or worse.
“Weren’t you always praising me as a genius when I was younger?”
“That was...!”
Belinda stopped short. She couldn’t exactly say in front of everyone that the praise was exaggerated to boost his confidence when he first managed to stop wetting the bed.
Ghislain, seeing her hesitate, shrugged again.
‘There’s really nothing to worry about.’
In his previous life, Ghislain had been one of the Seven Strongest in the entire continent, someone who had reached the pinnacle of human strength. He had modified countless mana techniques, molding them to suit his subordinates.
“Don’t worry. Remember how I helped Vanessa when she first started feeling mana? I can modify the technique, and it’ll work. You trust me, don’t you?”
His words, so full of certainty, almost had Belinda convinced for a moment.
‘Well, his mana technique was... different from the Perdium family’s, that’s for sure...’
But just as she was about to give in, she snapped back to her senses.
‘Wait a minute. The phrase “trust me” is the most common line from every scoundrel out there!’
“Those are two completely different things, my lord.”
Vanessa had been a prodigy, trained in magical theory for years at the tower. It wasn’t the same as trying to teach mercenaries who didn’t even know how to sense mana.
‘Lord Ghislain may be talented in mana and possess some special abilities, but this is just ridiculous. He’s gotten drunk on his own success. Everything has been going well for him lately, and it’s clouding his judgment!’
If turning people into knights in two months were truly possible, Perdium would have conquered the kingdom long before Ghislain was even born.
At this point, Claude interjected, desperate to put some sense into Ghislain.
“My lord, we’re in a very urgent situation. There’s so much to do. You were the one who brought up the issue of preparing for Desmond’s attack, remember?”
“Yeah, so?”
“If we’re to prepare for war and develop the territory, it’s going to cost an enormous amount of money, right?”
“It’ll cost a fortune. Even if we spend everything we have and what we’ll earn in the future, it still might not be enough.”
“So why are we even thinking about spending all that on creating a mana-imbued formation instead of selling those precious runestones? If we fail to create knights in two months, we’ll lose not only time but money as well!”
Claude raised his voice passionately.
He acknowledged Ghislain’s accomplishments, the mysterious knowledge he seemed to possess, and even the miracles he had pulled off so far. But this time, they were betting everything on something completely outlandish.
‘One mistake could cost us all our lives!’
Who in their right mind would agree to such a risky plan, knowing their own life was on the line?
Even if they meticulously planned and saved every coin, the war with Desmond was still a terrifying prospect. Desmond was one of the most powerful lords in the northern territories.
The idea of gambling on a risky plan like this, with such high stakes, was unthinkable to Claude.
“If you fail, it’ll put us in an even worse situation! Please, can’t we just prepare rationally?”
Other retainers nodded in agreement, their expressions pleading as they looked at Ghislain.
But Ghislain only shrugged, unfazed by their concerns.
“It’ll work. I’m telling you, for me, this is perfectly rational. Have I ever made promises I couldn’t keep? I’m not that kind of person.”
A heavy silence settled over the room as all eyes focused on Ghislain.
If there was anyone in this entire territory known for making bold, sometimes ludicrous statements, it was their young lord.
Though many of his plans had ended up succeeding, they were still ludicrous when first presented.
Ghislain, feeling the weight of their stares, mumbled under his breath.
“Unbelievable...”
