NOVPUBThe number of knights stepping forward and the approaching monsters were roughly equal.
When the mercenary-born knights moved to the front lines, the other knights hesitated, watching them. Traditionally, knights were expected to take the lead in battle.
However, one knight, formerly of the Mad Dogs, raised his hand to stop them.
“Just stay back and watch this time. Let us show you why we’re called veterans.”
The other knights turned to Ghislain for approval. He smirked and nodded.
“Call it a grudge match. Let them have their way. Those guys have a lot of scores to settle.”
It was said that even a single Giant Mantis could match a novice knight in strength. The ones living in the Forest of Beasts were undoubtedly stronger.
If not for Ghislain’s leadership and the efforts of Belinda, Gillian, and Kaor during the previous expedition, victory would have been impossible. Even then, the team had sustained heavy losses.
The knights, aware of this history, wore uneasy expressions.
Swish!
The approaching mantises began to move faster, their strides growing longer. They charged at the knights, their forelimbs slicing through the air with deadly precision.
The sheer speed of the attack startled everyone, even the knights observing from the back.
Slash!
Yet Gillian sidestepped the first attack with ease, swinging his axe in a swift, practiced motion.
Thwack!
The Giant Mantis’s head flew off cleanly.
Kaor and the other knights immediately sprang into action, each targeting a mantis of their own.
Slash! Slash!
The mantises’ attacks were blindingly fast—far beyond what an ordinary soldier could hope to block. Yet somehow, the knights were dodging effortlessly, countering with precise strikes of their own.
The knights watching from the rear widened their eyes in astonishment.
“What the—? They weren’t this skilled before!”
“How are they dodging so easily?”
“Shouldn’t they be blocking or rolling out of the way?”
Even with a significant burst of mana, dealing with the mantises’ speed would have been challenging. Yet these knights were avoiding the attacks as if they knew what was coming.
It looked as though they were anticipating the strikes before they even began.
Ghislain, noticing the puzzled looks, offered an explanation.
“These monsters may seem threatening, but their attack patterns are simple. It’s because of their body structure. Their elongated backs limit their attack range, and they can’t turn quickly to cover blind spots.”
Indeed, a closer look revealed that the mantises’ attacks were predictably linear—either a downward slash or a sweeping horizontal strike.
Whenever the knights sidestepped an attack, the mantises tried to turn and follow, but their movements were noticeably slower.
Boom! Thud!
The knights didn’t miss their openings, unleashing bursts of mana as they cleaved through the mantises’ bodies.
Despite their sharp forelimbs and impressive speed, the Giant Mantises had surprisingly weak defenses. Their massive size was deceptive, as their bodies were easily torn apart by the knights’ strikes.
Ghislain chuckled at the sight.
“They learned these tactics through life-or-death battles. Those who didn’t master them... didn’t survive. Apart from the Blood Python, those mantises caused us the most casualties back then.”
“...”
“The ones who made it through are now strong enough to take down a mantis single-handedly. Their weak defenses make them vulnerable, even for someone without mana. But now? It’s not even a contest.”
While the remaining knights could likely handle a Giant Mantis on their own, they wouldn’t do so with the same ease.
Experience truly brought out the best in their abilities.
In moments, the Giant Mantises were completely annihilated. With their weaknesses exploited and their adversaries’ skills honed to perfection, the mantises stood no chance.
“Hooray!”
The soldiers and workers erupted into cheers, overwhelmed by the knights’ swift and decisive victory.
“They’re incredible! The rumors about the Duke’s heir defeating the monsters were true!”
“The knights are way stronger than I imagined!”
“Not a single one of them got hurt!”
The guards stationed at the Forest of Beasts were the most shocked of all. Memories of past battles were still vivid in their minds.
“Back then, so many died, and there were so many injuries...”
“It’s completely different now.”
“Most of them were just mercenaries back then... who would’ve thought they’d become this strong?”
To those who remembered the sheer terror of those days, this victory was nothing short of astonishing.
The Forest of Beasts had always been a place no one dared to enter. The monsters here were far from easy to deal with. The only explanation for this change was that Fenris’s knights had grown immensely stronger.
“All thanks to the Duke’s heir...”
The crowd couldn’t help but marvel once again at Ghislain’s achievements. He had turned a ragtag group of mercenaries into formidable knights capable of handling the forest’s deadliest creatures.
The knights, formerly mercenaries, wore proud expressions. The realization of how far they’d come struck a deep chord within them.
“We really have grown stronger.”
“Back then, it was so terrifying.”
“Gaston, I avenged you.”
Some smiled with pride, while others shed quiet tears, remembering fallen comrades.
Thanks to the knights’ efforts, the mood shifted dramatically. The soldiers and workers, reassured by their strength, relaxed and even brightened.
With such a powerful force and skilled fighters on their side, fear seemed unnecessary.
Meanwhile, the mages rushed toward the remains of the Giant Mantises.
“These are definitely worth studying.”
“The body of a Giant Mantis from the Forest of Beasts... this is a rare find!”
“Their meat is prized as a medicinal ingredient. They say it’s especially good for men.”
The mantises’ forelimbs, with their razor-sharp edges, were valuable materials. But the real prize was their meat, considered a luxury and known for its health benefits.
The mages, laughing and chatting, carefully preserved the corpses with freezing and preservation spells.
Though they claimed it was for research, their true intentions were quite obvious.
“Alright, back to work!” Ghislain commanded.
The soldiers and workers quickly resumed their tasks with renewed vigor. With the tension gone, their pace quickened, and some even began humming tunes.
“This isn’t so dangerous after all, is it?”
“We might finish sooner than expected.”
“We’ve already secured a pretty large area. Feels like just another logging trip.”
As they worked, the soldiers and workers constructed new barricades to secure the cleared areas. Watchtowers were also erected to prepare for potential monster attacks.
Ghislain, however, was careful not to overextend their reach. This expedition had a clear purpose—gathering rune stones.
There was no need to push deeper into the forest than necessary.
“We’ll start moving deeper into the forest soon. Expanding the territory further can wait until the entry area is fully stabilized,” Ghislain declared.
His command set the troops and workers into action with well-coordinated efficiency.
By now, the number of workers had significantly increased. Not only had Fenris contributed more manpower, but a substantial number of workers from Ferdium had also joined. This influx was largely thanks to rumors spread by the supply soldiers, claiming that the Forest of Beasts wasn’t as dangerous as expected.
For the people of Ferdium, the forest had always been a source of primal fear. However, watching knights effortlessly handle Giant Mantises had reassured them that it might not be as deadly as they had thought.
The reality, of course, was that they were still only in the outermost parts of the forest, facing weaker monsters. Moreover, these knights were veterans who had fought these particular monsters before.
It wasn’t just workers who showed up, though.
“Your Grace! What in the world is going on here? Moving the territory’s forces at your whim like this—this territory isn’t even yours!”
Homern burst onto the scene, red-faced and fuming, practically vibrating with indignation.
Bringing Fenris forces into the forest was one thing—there was no legal basis to stop that. But commandeering Ferdium’s troops without permission? That crossed a line, even for the Duke’s heir. Then again, when had this man not crossed a line?
Ghislain, as always, seemed entirely unconcerned.
“They were just idle forces, weren’t they? It’s better to put them to use when there’s no threat.”
“Idle or not, there are rules to follow! These soldiers belong to the Marquess of Ferdium! Even as the heir, you can’t simply use them as you please! At the very least, you should consult with me first!”
“That would take too much time.”
“Wh-what?!”
“Having endless meetings to decide how many people we can use just slows everything down. We’d end up doing it anyway, so why waste time?”
“Who gave you the authority to proceed as you see fit? How can you so casually use soldiers that belong to your father’s territory?”
Homern’s tone bordered on indignant whining, but his words weren’t wrong.
Ignoring formalities and acting independently was, objectively, improper. Rules and protocols existed for a reason.
Of course, Ghislain understood that perfectly—and knew exactly how to turn the situation in his favor.
“This land we’ve just secured,” he began, “is incredibly fertile. You could sow seeds without even needing rune stone enhancements, and they’d grow like crazy.”
“So what? It’s not even our land!”
“I could transfer it to Ferdium until I officially inherit the territory.”
“W-what? You’re serious?”
Homern froze mid-rant, his mouth hanging open. It was rare for Ghislain to offer anything so readily.
Currently, Ferdium relied heavily on Ghislain’s support, both financially and agriculturally. Workers participated in construction projects, earning money and driving the local economy. While some new farmlands had been developed thanks to Ghislain, rune stone usage limited the scope of these developments. The territory’s agricultural needs still required substantial external assistance.
Now, with fertile land the size of several villages secured—and more to come—Ferdium’s food production could increase exponentially.
Even so, handing over the land was no loss for Ghislain.
“We already have more than enough food,” he thought.
While the primary goal of this expedition was rune stones, expanding the territory and bolstering Ferdium’s resources served a larger purpose: strengthening Ferdium for future conflicts with the Duke’s faction.
Fenris didn’t need the farmland; the forest’s other resources were sufficient. But a self-sustaining Ferdium could grow faster and provide critical support in the battles to come.
“Damn it, I shouldn’t have come. I should’ve just stayed quiet.”
Homern began to sweat, glancing nervously at Ghislain. He had come with the intent of asserting himself, feeling emboldened after Ferdium’s contributions to the war with Desmond. But once again, Ghislain had flipped the script.
Ghislain smirked and continued.
“Why not send more workers? The sooner we finish, the better.”
“...I was actually planning to ask if you needed more workers,” Homern admitted reluctantly.
If Homern had one skill, it was knowing when to keep his mouth shut. He had experienced this same dynamic during the previous Forest of Beasts expedition, and this time, it was even easier to accept.
Involving Ferdium in the development projects only benefited its economy. Workers earned wages, stimulating growth, while the territory reaped rewards from the expanded farmland.
Homern had come to defend his pride, but the potential benefits were simply too great to ignore.
“Just wait a little longer, alright?”
With Homern fully on board, the influx of workers surged. The organized recruitment by Ferdium’s administration proved far more effective than relying on word-of-mouth.
Not only workers but even the remaining soldiers and labor units were sent to assist. Unlike the last expedition, dwarves and mages were also actively participating, significantly accelerating progress.
The path to the previous rune stone site was now transforming into a vast new territory.
Massive, sturdy barricades surrounded the perimeter, and watchtowers were erected at key points. With the forest’s abundant supply of wood, materials were no issue.
“This is turning into an actual territory,” someone remarked.
“The quality of the timber here is incredible. Even after using so much for construction, there’s still plenty left.”
“Honestly, there don’t seem to be that many monsters. The Giant Mantises were the biggest threat so far.”
Time had passed since the last expedition, and while some new monsters had moved into the area, they were few in number and relatively weak.
The soldiers and workers moved about with ease, smiling and chatting as they worked. The forest no longer seemed as dangerous as its reputation suggested, and the work was progressing smoothly.
With so many skilled warriors capable of taking down dozens of monsters, there was little reason to worry.
Watching the relaxed atmosphere, Ghislain fell into thought. After a moment, he called Vanessa over and quietly gave her instructions.
“We’re going to move off the old path soon. Prepare as I explained earlier. Make sure the mages understand the plan.”
“Yes, sir. But... should we inform the others as well?”
“No,” Ghislain replied with a sly smile. “Keep it between the mages for now.”
“Why not? Wouldn’t it be safer if everyone was prepared?”
Ghislain chuckled softly.
“Everyone’s too relaxed. They need to remember this is still dangerous. A little tension will do them good.”
“Tension?”
“Exactly. If we keep going like this, we’ll lose over half of them by the time we reach the destination.”
Vanessa’s face hardened at his grim prediction, her unease evident.
