Chapter 346: Time to Prepare (2)

The Crimson Magic Tower was the Duchy's hidden weapon. For a faction intent on toppling the kingdom, they had no reason to care about the unspoken rules of the magic towers.

In Ghislain's previous life, they had destroyed every magic tower that defied them, with the Crimson Magic Tower leading the charge.

Delmud, the Crimson Magic Tower's Lord, was someone the Duchy had deliberately nurtured and placed in power.

He had seized control of the tower by killing the previous tower lord and their disciples under the guise of a duel.

No one could stop him—not only was it a "legitimate" duel, but there was also no one powerful enough to challenge him. In magic towers, hierarchy is decided by strength.

On the flip side, this meant that if he were to be eliminated, the Crimson Magic Tower would inevitably collapse.

As Ghislain combed through memories of his past life, he issued a new order to Claude.

"Lower the price of the runestones we supply to the Scarlet Flame Magic Tower by half. Tell them to use that to expand their influence faster."

Claude and the vassals were stunned by the command.

"What? Even though we've acquired a massive supply of runestones recently, you're saying we should just hand them out to the magic tower?"

"Yes. Not permanently, but for the time being. They'll appreciate it."

Claude gave Ghislain a skeptical look. The lord was known for being generous when necessary, but not for giving away things without reason.

In fact, from Claude's perspective, Ghislain was more likely to take things from others. After all, even the territory they currently ruled had been taken by force.

"Why exactly are you doing this?"

"Well… they sent a lot of mages from their tower, right? Think of it as a gift."

"…."

None of the vassals believed him. Ghislain's tone was awkward, as if he were reluctantly giving something away.

As the vassals suspected, Ghislain's true intention was to support the Scarlet Flame Magic Tower.

'The Crimson Magic Tower must be scrambling right now.'

The Crimson Magic Tower had been tasked with devastating the Scarlet Flame Magic Tower, with the Duchy and Harold funding them heavily.

They had used that money to monopolize the runestones, intending to choke out the Scarlet Flame Magic Tower.

However, that plan began to falter after Ghislain appeared. The Scarlet Flame Magic Tower, revived with the runestones provided by Ghislain, had started to thrive again.

'I'll build up the enemy's tower to the point where they're forced to make the first move.'

It was difficult for Ghislain to attack the Crimson Magic Tower outright. While it was possible, doing so would come with significant losses.

Political ramifications aside, the Crimson Magic Tower's mages were highly skilled, and their tower lord was a formidable 7th-circle mage.

A direct confrontation would result in devastating casualties.

Thus, there was only one option.

'I need to lure him out and personally cut him down.'

This had to be done outside of a war scenario. To accomplish that, Ghislain needed to provoke them into action.

If the Scarlet Flame Magic Tower suddenly grew stronger, the Crimson Magic Tower would undoubtedly react differently.

Ghislain planned to seize that opportunity.

Thinking about facing Delmud brought another 7th-circle mage to his mind.

'The Duchy's 7th-circle mage, Ilois.'

Before Delmud reached the 7th-circle, Ilois had been the kingdom's only mage of that level.

While others might not know, Ghislain, having fought against the Duchy in his past life, was aware that he had mastered the 7th-circle.

'To face him, I need to prepare in advance.'

Ilois was an exceptionally tricky opponent. Unlike other mages who simply wreaked havoc with destructive spells, Ilois excelled in reshaping the battlefield itself.

Mages are dangerous not only because of their destructive power but because they can change the environment of a battle in an instant. Ilois was a master of this.

While Vanessa could likely handle other mages, Ilois was a different matter. Ghislain needed a way to neutralize his magic.

'I must act while there's still time.'

With his plans laid out, Ghislain gave the vassals new orders.

While the administrative side was fully established under Claude, the military remained directly under Ghislain's control, resulting in overlapping authority and duties.

"Our military has grown significantly, so we need to restructure. First, I appoint Gillian as the Master of Arms of the territory. He will oversee the organization of local defense forces and troops."

"Ohhh!"

The vassals nodded as if this decision was long overdue.

The Master of Arms was responsible for all military forces in the territory. Although Gillian had already been wielding this level of authority, his official appointment was significant.

"I will carry out my duties to the best of my ability."

Gillian accepted the position solemnly, kneeling as he did so.

Until now, Ghislain had shared responsibility for the training, education, and management of the soldiers with Gillian. However, as the workload in the territory increased, Ghislain would become even busier.

While Ghislain couldn't spare time away from overseeing the knights, Gillian would take full charge of the soldiers' training.

Ghislain glanced at Ascon and Lumina before continuing.

"Lumina will serve as the commander-in-chief of the archers. You'll also handle the training of new recruits and the management of horses."

"Got it."

While Ascon was the representative of the elves, Lumina had been the actual leader of the archers. This clarified their roles further.

Ascon, as always, looked indifferent. He had no interest in high-ranking positions and was already reluctantly acting as the elves' representative.

"Max will take charge of the security forces."

"Yes, sir!"

Max, a fixer caught gambling but recognized for his skills, was granted an official position.

Ghislain also elevated other commanders to new roles. Since the mages were already organized under Vanessa, no additional appointments were needed.

These promotions, long considered by Ghislain, were executed swiftly.

Then Kaor, who had been lingering in the room, suddenly erupted.

"What about me? Make me the knight commander!"

Watching Kaor's outburst, Ghislain stroked his chin thoughtfully.

'This guy has so many odd jobs to handle.'

Even the Duchy had treated Kaor as a jack-of-all-trades. Nodding, Ghislain spoke.

"You'll lead the Labour Assault Corps."

"That sounds so lame."

Kaor frowned deeply. While Gillian was promoted to Master of Arms, his own position seemed far too insignificant.

It was unfair, even if Gillian had followed the lord a bit longer. Just as Kaor was about to protest again, Ghislain added.

"You'll also be the 'Leather Predator of the Shadow Mountains and the Grand Leather Sage of Fenris.'"

Kaor tilted his head in confusion. The title sounded impressive, but it didn't feel like an actual rank.

While Kaor prided himself on being the "Leather King of Ironcliff," he had hoped for a similarly grandiose title in the territory.

Seeing Kaor's sulking expression, Ghislain chuckled and continued.

"I'm assigning you to lead Fenris' assault corps."

"Assault corps?"

"I'll personally select elite soldiers and hunters for your command. Skilled mercenaries will also join, including knights from the former Cerberus Mercenary Corps. Of course, I'll oversee the knights' training for now."

Kaor cautiously asked, "What's the job?"

"You'll be tasked with the most dangerous missions during wartime. That's why your unit will be composed of only the best. However, it will be an independent unit that answers only to me."

"Whoa!"

At the word "independent," Kaor's eyes widened, and the others were astonished.

Independent units were rare in small territories but common in larger ones. Their names and functions varied depending on their mission.

However, the Assault Corps Ghislain envisioned were not typical special forces.

Instead of leading initial charges, like knights traditionally did, they would handle the most dangerous, brutal, and unclean tasks in wartime. They were a true commando unit.

Kaor, understanding the implications, grinned and nodded.

"A title befitting someone of my stature."

It was manly work, and he wouldn't have to take orders from Gillian. That was the part he liked the most.

Although Ghislain had essentially renamed the Labour Assault Corps, it would play a vital role in the future.

"When you return to Ironcliff, select suitable hunters to manage the area. The fort commander, Grant, will have your back now that our trade with the Turian Kingdom is stable."

"Understood!"

Kaor answered enthusiastically. While Ironcliff was a place of freedom, its harsh environment often became tiresome. Now as the Assault Corps' commander, he looked forward to training his men and bragging about his new title.

There was no need to address the assassination unit, as Belinda was handling it well.

"Claude will ensure each unit is supported."

"Yes, my lord."

With the restructuring complete, Ghislain concluded the meeting.

"Proceed with the Scarlet Flame Magic Tower initiative, and focus on recruiting and utilizing mercenary corps for now."

As a result of Ghislain's seemingly whimsical orders, a separate supply of runestones was allocated to the Scarlet Flame Magic Tower. Meanwhile, efforts to recruit mercenary corps in other regions were underway.

Dominic would handle deploying mercenaries wherever force was needed. Kaor returned to the Shadow Mountains with hunters, and Gillian took charge of training the territory's forces.

Administrators poured their energy into development projects and various enterprises, utilizing the new resources to accelerate the territory's growth.

Once again, the territory buzzed with activity.

***

"How's life treating you?"

"It's been great!"

Ghislain summoned Arel to the training grounds after a long time.

Though Ghislain had occasionally taught him swordsmanship, his busy schedule often kept him from training him regularly.

As a result, Arel spent most of his time training with the soldiers. While Gillian occasionally mentored him, it wasn't enough.

Now it was time to teach him the mana cultivation technique.

Hearing this, Arel's face tensed with anticipation. He hadn't learned the technique yet, though he had always wanted to. Physical training had taken priority, so he hadn't had the opportunity until now.

It was clear that Arel's body had grown significantly stronger, thanks to his rigorous training and good nutrition.

"Sit down. You've probably heard about this, but you'll need to endure it. If you don't, you'll die."

Arel gritted his teeth and took his seat.

He had heard countless times how painful it was to forcibly learn the knights' mana cultivation techniques, so he had braced himself.

But Ghislain's approach seemed different.

"The technique I'm going to teach you is even more dangerous than what the knights use. Focus your mind."

Ghislain intended to impart a more powerful mana cultivation technique. Though it had been refined, it was closer to the one Ghislain used than the standard knight's technique.

"Let's begin."

Without further explanation, Ghislain placed his palm on Arel's back.

Voom!

A torrent of mana surged into Arel's body, whipping through him like a storm.

"Grrk!"

Arel clenched his teeth and let out an involuntary groan.

It felt as though blades were tearing through his insides. He doubted he could endure for even a few seconds.

His mouth opened involuntarily. He wanted nothing more than to pass out.

"Endure it. If you want to live, you must endure."

Ghislain began forging a mana road within Arel's body with immense force. Each surge of mana made Arel want to scream.

"Gghhh…"

"Think about the barbarians. Remember that time and endure it. If you want revenge, you must become stronger."

At those words, Arel clenched his teeth so hard they seemed about to break. Tears of blood began streaming from his eyes as he struggled against the pain.

Rumble!

A core began forming below Arel's navel, and mana started spreading throughout his body. Despite the agony tearing through him, Arel held on.

Only one thought kept him going.

— I must become stronger.

He had to become stronger to ensure he would never experience such horrors again. He had to become stronger to protect those he loved in this harsh world.

Fueled by that singular resolve, Arel endured, even as blood poured from his eyes, nose, mouth, and ears.

Seeing this, Ghislain nodded slightly, even as he continued to channel mana.

'As expected, he can withstand it.'

Ghislain had chosen to teach Arel a more powerful and dangerous mana cultivation technique because he trusted his tenacity.

Though Arel killed a subordinate of Ghislain's during the Year-Long War, Ghislain bore him no personal grudge.

He had nothing to do with the fall of Perdium; he had simply been a man obsessed with slaughtering barbarians.

Ghislain didn't know how Arel had survived in his previous life, but he had caught Harold's eye, becoming a knight and eventually the commander of the northern fortress, replacing the fallen Perdium.

His relentless vengeance against the barbarians must have earned him recognition.

Arel had fought countless battles against the barbarians, earning accolades and even the title of baron. His exploits in battle earned him the moniker "The Barbarian Slayer."

It was sheer determination, revenge, and grit that had propelled him to such heights.

Ghislain trusted in that same grit and chose to pass on a more potent and perilous mana cultivation technique to him.

Vroom!

As the mana settled into Arel's body, it began to establish itself. Though the process took only a short time for Ghislain, to Arel, who was wracked with pain, it felt like an eternity.

Nevertheless, as Ghislain had predicted, Arel endured the ordeal, despite the blood streaming from him.

Even hardened mercenaries, whose bodies were already prepared, struggled to endure this. Yet this young recruit had withstood it.

Once the foundation was laid, Ghislain gently withdrew his hand.

Thud.

At the same moment, Arel collapsed unconscious onto the ground.

Ghislain smiled as he looked down at him.

"Impressive."

It was a level of pain most could never endure, yet Arel had withstood it. His reputation for tenacity in Ghislain's previous life was no exaggeration.

"Hmm, we'll need to do this a few more times. How should I go about it…"

This wasn't the end. Just like the knights, Arel would need to undergo the process multiple times to fully develop his mana.

After a moment's contemplation, Ghislain nodded.

"I'll just take him along and do it while we travel."

Ghislain had no intention of staying quietly within the territory.

To face the Duke's 7th-circle mage, he needed to prepare new powers.

Now, it was time to acquire them.

[T/L: Please support me and read 385 extra chapters: https://ko-fi.com/revengerscans ]